Taipei: The Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on Friday that it has received letters of offer and acceptance (LOA) for three systems under the NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.56 billion) special defense budget bill. The MND plans to request an extension of the documents' validity to prevent hindering the weapons sales process.

According to Focus Taiwan, the LOAs are set to expire on March 15 and pertain to M107A7 self-propelled howitzers (US$4.03 billion), Javelin anti-armor missiles (US$375 million), and TOW missiles (US$353 million). These are part of a significant US$11.1 billion U.S. arms sales package to Taiwan announced on December 17. Without an extension, Taiwan must make the initial payment by March 31.

The MND cited challenges in the bill's review and is pursuing an extension of the LOA signing period from the U.S. to prevent cancellation of the package due to unmet deadlines. The ministry urged the Legislature to expedite the bill's review to enhance Taiwan's defense capabilities.

The opposition parties, Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party, have stalled the bill's review since President Lai Ching-te introduced it in November. They criticized the spending plan as "opaque" and likened it to a "blank cheque." The MND conducted a classified briefing last month to inform lawmakers about the U.S. purchases and their costs.

Lt. Gen. Huang Wen-chi, from the MND's Department of Strategic Planning, highlighted the risk that failing to sign the LOAs could necessitate restarting the arms sale procedure, requiring another review. He emphasized that prolonged delays in the Legislature could jeopardize the arms sales package.