The missiles are in hot demand in Ukraine, where they have successfully kept Russian aircraft at bay, but US supplies have shrunk, and there are significant hurdles in front of producing more of the anti-aircraft weapons.

The US in 2019 approved the sale of 250 of Raytheon Technologies’ Stinger missiles to Taiwan.

Taiwanese media has reported Taiwan expected deliveries to be completed by 2026.

Chu Wen Wu, deputy head of Taiwan’s army planning department, said those deliveries may get held up.

“It is true that due to changes in the international situation, there may be a risk of delayed delivery this year of the portable Stinger missiles,” he told a news conference.

“The army will coordinate with the full procurement plan and continue to require the US military to implement it normally in accordance with the contract.”

Ministry spokesman Sun Li Fang added that procurement of General Dynamics Corp M1A2 Abrams tanks was “normal” – Taiwan plans to buy 108 of them with delivery by 2027.

Taiwan’s air force is also in touch with the US to ensure that deliveries of new F-16 fighter jets take place on schedule before 2026, he said.

This is the second time this week the ministry has warned of delayed deliveries of US weapons.

It said yesterday it was considering alternative weapons options after the US informed it that the delivery of an artillery system would be delayed due to a “crowded” production line.

Taiwan, claimed by China as its own territory, is undertaking a military modernisation programme to improve its capabilities to fend off a Chinese attack, including with precision weapons like missiles.

US officials have been pushing Taiwan to modernise its military so it can become a “porcupine”, hard for China to attack.