Taiwan scrambles to sign US arms deals before deadline amid defence budget gridlock

Taiwan’s defence ministry has received a US letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for 82 Himars rocket launchers, according to officials, who said the deal must be signed by March 26 as other pending arms contracts near expiry. Speaking before a legislative session on Tuesday, Wellington Koo Li-hsiung, the island’s defence minister, said the Himars, or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, agreement was one of five US arms procurement deals awaiting legislative authorisation. Koo noted that t...

By Lawrence Chung