Taiwan Urges Trump to Expedite $14 Billion Arms Package

Taiwan has urged the Trump administration to expedite the delivery of a delayed $14 billion weapons package, arguing that military strength is essential to deter Chinese aggression. The request follows a summit in Washington between Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which Trump stated that Taiwan was not a primary topic of discussion.

While Taiwan has already paid for the arms, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz attributed the delays to a backlog in the American defense industrial base. U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue reported that Trump attempted to downplay the pending sale during the summit by telling President Xi that the U.S. sells weapons globally, even asking if China would like to buy some.

Beijing has demanded that Washington halt arms sales and prudently handle the Taiwan question. Despite these pressures, U.S. officials maintain that Washington's position toward Taiwan remains unchanged. Taiwan's deputy foreign minister Chen Ming-chi stated that the U.S. understands the island's defense needs as China continues to invest in its military capacity.