The United States has just given Taiwan a big defense gift: an advanced air defense missile system worth nearly $700 million! This high-tech weapon, called NASAMS, has already proven itself in battle during the Russia-Ukraine war. It's only used by Australia and Indonesia nearby, so Taiwan is joining an exclusive club. Last year, the US promised Taiwan three of these NASAMS medium-range air defense systems made by RTX, part of a huge $2 billion arms package. This Monday, the Pentagon announced a fixed-price contract for the NASAMS, with work expected to finish by February 2031. The big news? "Fiscal 2026 foreign military sales (Taiwan) funds in the amount of $698,948,760 were obligated," said the Pentagon. These systems give Taiwan a sharp edge in detecting and destroying incoming threats. Taipei is hungry for such powerful weapons as China keeps eyeing the island as its own territory. The US, by law, must help Taiwan defend itself, even though the two don’t have official diplomatic ties. This deal follows a $330 million sale of fighter jets and aircraft parts to Taiwan — the first under President Donald Trump — which made Taipei happy and Beijing furious. Taiwan’s military is also busy building its own submarines to protect crucial sea supply routes. All these efforts show Taiwan is ready to stand firm if China decides to attack. Meanwhile, Taiwan rejects China's claim over its land, standing strong on its sovereignty. It's a classic chess game in the region, but with cutting-edge missiles and jets now in play, the stakes have never been higher!