Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said Sunday that U.S. arms purchases are “the most important deterrent” of regional conflict, pushing back against President Donald Trump’s suggestion that continued U.S. support for the island could be used as a negotiating tool with China.
In a statement, Lai thanked Trump for his “continued support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait since his first term, including the continuous increase in the scale and amount of arms sales to Taiwan.” He described U.S. arms sales and security cooperation as “not only governed by law but also a catalyst for regional peace and stability.”
Lai’s remarks came days after Trump, in a Fox News interview that aired as he wrapped up a high-stakes visit to China, said he had not yet approved a new $14 billion arms package for Taiwan and that it “depends on China.” Trump called the sales “a very good negotiating chip for us frankly,” raising concerns on the island about the reliability of U.S. security commitments.
The United States does not recognize Taiwan as a country, maintaining formal diplomatic relations with Beijing under the One China policy, but it has been the island’s strongest backer and primary arms supplier. Washington is bound by its own laws to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself and has long viewed any threats to the island as a matter of grave concern. Trump approved in December a record-breaking $11 billion arms package including missiles, drones, artillery systems and military software.
Lai sought to reassure the public, saying that “Taiwan will not provoke or escalate conflict, but it will also not relinquish its national sovereignty and dignity, or its democratic and free way of life, under pressure.” He called China “the root cause of undermining regional peace and stability and attempting to change the status quo.”
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Fox News Sunday that Lai’s statement was “a reasonable thing for the leader there to say.” Johnson added, “China cannot just go take over land, and we’re going to stand strong and resolute by that. I know the Congress will.”
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, appearing on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” said the president is “considering how to move forward on” the arms sales to Taiwan. Greer noted that previous presidents had paused sales in the past and that Trump would weigh many factors. “When the president makes a decision on national security, it’s really based on American security needs first though,” Greer said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, during recent talks with Trump in Beijing, described Taiwan as “the most important issue in China-U.S. relations.” In one of his strongest public statements on the topic, Xi warned Trump on Thursday of “clashes and even conflicts” if the Taiwan issue was not handled properly.
China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, when the Communist Party took power in Beijing after a civil war. Defeated Nationalist Party forces fled to Taiwan, which later transitioned from martial law to a multiparty democracy.