Taiwan's deputy foreign minister says continued U.S. arms sales protect the island's chip industry and serve Washington's own interests, days after Donald Trump and Xi Jinping wrapped a summit without resolving the Taiwan question. A pending about $14 billion weapons package remains undecided, a factor tied to geopolitical risk around the region's chip supply chain.
Taipei pushes back on concessions
Taiwan Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu said Saturday that continued U.S. arms sales to Taiwan serve Washington's own national interest, not just the island's defense. His comments followed the conclusion of a three-day summit between Trump and Xi in Washington that produced no major public breakthroughs on Taiwan and other contentious issues.
Wu questioned whether making concessions over Taiwan would serve U.S. interests, arguing that continued weapons sales and sufficient defensive capability protect the island from Chinese control and let its semiconductor industry keep supplying global markets. Taiwan remains the main producer of advanced chips used in artificial intelligence applications, giving the island a major role in global technology supply chains.
A $14 billion package still in limbo
Attention now centers on a pending U.S. weapons package worth about $14 billion. Trump said after meeting Xi in Beijing in May that the package was being held in abeyance, and he has not announced a decision following the Washington summit. Reuters previously reported that Beijing wanted Washington to halt arms sales.
That uncertainty follows the $11 billion arms package the Trump administration approved for Taiwan in December, the largest on record. Wu said Taipei kept up continuous communication with Washington around the summit and would keep seeking assurances of U.S. support.
Washington and Beijing hold their positions
According to Reuters, Xi told Trump he hoped Washington would maintain what Beijing calls the "correct position" of opposing Taiwanese independence. U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue told CNBC Friday that Trump's Taiwan policy had not changed, including Washington's position under the Taiwan Relations Act, which requires the U.S. to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has repeatedly opposed U.S. weapons sales to the island; Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. China's People's Daily reiterated Saturday that Taiwan remains a core Chinese interest and a red line in relations with Washington.
Source: Investing.com
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