Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Yen-pu (徐衍璞) said the U.S. and Taiwan are working closely to address arms sales delays. U.S. arms sales to Taiwan have been delayed on multiple projects due to issues with military supply-chain management.

The U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee recently held a hearing on the 2025 defense budget. Several representatives expressed concerns over delivery delays of arms to Taiwan, which stands at a current backlog of US $19 billion (about NT$619.9 billion). U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin responded that progress has been made in reducing the backlog and they are continuing to expedite arms transfer to Taiwan.

In his own hearing at the Legislature on Monday, Hsu confirmed that arms deliveries were impacted, but that it remains a pressing issue that both U.S. and Taiwanese lawmakers are endeavoring to address. Hsu highlighted the close coordination between officials on both sides, including the “Tiger Team” task force established in the U.S. to accelerate the delivery of related arms sales. 

Finally, regarding Wellington Koo’s (顧立雄) pending appointment to Minister of National Defense, Hsu assured the Legislature that Koo had considerable understanding of the military’s work and developing affairs. Koo will receive a detailed report on current tasks and progress when he takes office.