TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene said the US is working to expedite weapons shipments to Taiwan. 

In an interview with Liberty Times on Friday, Greene said that if the Russo-Ukrainian War concludes, he expects the US will shift its focus to Taiwan’s defense needs. He also noted the potential for US-Taiwan collaboration in local production within the dual-use sector.

The US has faced ongoing delays in delivering arms to Taiwan. Cato Institute scholar Eric Gomez said in July that the backlog of Taiwan's weapons orders was as high as US$20.5 billion (NT$673.91 billion). Greene said the estimate was inaccurate, and the backlog has dropped below US$10 billion, with the figure declining.

He said the primary cause of the delays is the strain on the production capacity of the US defense industrial base. In addition, factors such as the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as China’s aggressive posture in the Indo-Pacific, have led countries to boost their defense budgets and purchase US military equipment.

Greene emphasized, “Taiwan is our top priority, and we’ve been working very hard to accelerate delivery, especially the asymmetric systems that I think will have the most immediate impact on Taiwan’s defense.” 

In addition, Greene pointed out that the US has initiated cooperation in defense production, working with partners to leverage local manufacturing capacities. He said that Taiwan not only has a well-developed defense industry but also a robust private sector with strong production capacity, advanced technology, and extensive experience. 

Given these strengths, Greene said he sees potential for future collaboration in the dual-use sectors of drone and satellite systems.