In a move guaranteed to rattle the region, the United States has signed off on a jaw-dropping $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan, a deal that Taipei is already hailing as one of its biggest ever. The announcement, trumpeted by Taiwan’s foreign ministry, is being spun as proof of Washington’s “unwavering” support for the island’s defense,never mind the fact that it’s sure to send shockwaves through Beijing.

The package, which still needs a rubber stamp from Congress, is packed with high-tech weaponry: HIMARS rocket systems, howitzers, anti-tank missiles, drones, and more. This is only the second arms sale to Taiwan since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, and it absolutely dwarfs previous deals. Clearly, the US is doubling down on its military partnership with Taipei, despite the obvious risks.

“This is the second arms sale to Taiwan announced during the Trump administration’s second term, once again demonstrating the US’s firm commitment to Taiwan’s security,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry boasted in a statement. The message is clear: Taiwan is banking on American firepower to keep China at bay.

Predictably, China wasted no time in blasting the deal. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun slammed the US for “dangerous actions” and demanded an immediate halt to the arms sales. Beijing is threatening “resolute and forceful measures” to defend what it calls its territorial integrity, once again raising the specter of military action if the US doesn’t back off.

The scale of this deal is reminiscent of the $18 billion arms package floated by George W. Bush back in 2001,though that one fizzled out after negotiations. Still, the numbers are staggering: Bush sold $15.6 billion in weapons to Taiwan over eight years, and Trump’s first term saw $10 billion in sales, including $8 billion for fighter jets. The arms race is clearly alive and well.

Congress is expected to rubber-stamp the latest deal with little fuss, thanks to rare bipartisan agreement on the need to arm Taiwan. Lawmakers from both parties have been clamoring for more military aid, citing the “China threat” as justification for ever-increasing weapons sales.

Despite its own defense industry, Taiwan is still heavily dependent on US arms to counter China’s overwhelming military might. President Lai Ching-te is promising to ramp up defense spending to over three percent of GDP next year, with a goal of hitting five percent by 2030. There’s even talk of a massive NT$1 trillion fund for air defense upgrades and ammunition stockpiles,if the opposition-controlled parliament plays along.

Meanwhile, China isn’t exactly sitting on its hands. Military flights and naval maneuvers around Taiwan have become a near-daily occurrence, with analysts warning of “grey-zone” tactics designed to wear down Taiwan’s defenses. Just recently, Taiwan’s defense ministry reported 40 Chinese aircraft and eight warships operating around the island in a single day, and Beijing’s newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, made a high-profile transit through the Taiwan Strait.

With tensions in the Taiwan Strait already sky-high, this latest US arms sale is pouring gasoline on the fire. For Taiwan, it’s a much-needed show of support. For China, it’s a blatant provocation. As Congress prepares to rubber-stamp the deal, the world is left wondering: will this arms package keep the peace, or push the region closer to the brink?