Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Thursday that the next U.S. arms sale package is on track after Taipei received a letter of guarantee from Washington, even as U.S. and Chinese leaders prepare to meet in May.
Trump-Xi Meeting Looms Over Deal
A proposed $14 billion arms package, including advanced interceptor missiles, is awaiting approval from Donald Trump and could be signed after his upcoming China visit, according to sources.
But Trump has postponed that trip, originally scheduled for early April, due to the Middle East war, and is now due in Beijing May 14-15.
Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, is sure to be a topic, especially after Chinese President Xi Jinping told Trump in a call last month that the U.S. must “carefully” handle arms sales to the democratically-governed island.
Asked by reporters at Taiwan’s parliament whether the Trump-Xi meeting would impact U.S. arms sales, Koo said the government had already received a letter of guarantee indicating the U.S. is willing to authorise the next deal.
The package is still undergoing an internal U.S. review and Taiwan has not received any notification about delays, Koo said.
The U.S. State Department, which generally handles queries about government policy towards Taiwan, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
China’s Pressure
China has repeatedly demanded Washington end arms sales to Taipei, the last of which in December was worth $11 billion, the largest ever for Taiwan.
Taiwan’s opposition-dominated parliament is continuing to debate President Lai Ching-te’s $40 billion in extra defence spending, though it has already authorised the government to sign U.S. agreements for four arms sales packages worth some $9 billion before the budget is passed.
Koo said the government was talking to the U.S. about possibly deferring payment or reducing the initial payment given he could not predict when parliament may approve the funds.
The U.S. is Taiwan’s most important international backer and weapons supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, and is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.
Taiwan has faced stepped-up Chinese military pressure in recent years, including war games.
(With inputs from Reuters)
