U.S. Trade Representative Grilley: Trump Weighing Arms Sales to Taiwan, U.S.-China Relations Key Factor

U.S. Trade Representative Grilley said on Sunday, May 17, during a political talk show that President Trump is weighing how to proceed with arms sales to Taiwan, while emphasizing that maintaining stable U.S.-China relations is "crucial." He pointed out that the U.S. trade deficit with China decreased by approximately 30% last year, and there exists mutual influence between Washington's continued tariffs on China and Beijing's expanded opening of its agricultural markets to American products.

During an interview on ABC's Sunday political program "This Week," host Stephanopoulos asked whether the United States was using arms sales to Taiwan as leverage in negotiations with China, and what gains Washington hoped to achieve.

Grilley stated that successive U.S. administrations have long engaged in arms sales to Taiwan, with several previous suspensions—including during the presidencies of Barack Obama and George W. Bush. He noted that the Trump administration is currently assessing how to move forward on this issue, adding that "the reality is that stable U.S.-China relations are extremely important."

Grilley explained that as the world's two largest economies, Beijing has long viewed U.S. arms sales to Taiwan as a highly sensitive issue. The Trump administration is now evaluating how best to handle it. He highlighted that last year the U.S. trade deficit with China shrank by about 30%, and that Washington’s retention of tariffs on Chinese goods to restrict imports coincides with China’s expanded access for American agricultural products—“these issues are interconnected and mutually influential.”

Nevertheless, Grilley emphasized that Trump will ultimately make decisions based on U.S. national security interests.

When asked by host Stephanopoulos what the U.S. would seek in return if Trump chose to delay arms sales to Taiwan, Grilley responded that the most important goal is to maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, stressing that Trump has clearly stated the U.S. policy toward Taiwan “has not changed.”

Grilley said: “We want stability. If China attempts to alter the status quo, clearly we will take that into account.”

He also noted that Trump is “very focused” on ensuring no crisis breaks out across the Taiwan Strait—an important reason why Trump previously told media outlets he had never made any commitments to China regarding Taiwan.

Finally, Grilley stressed that the decision on arms sales to Taiwan and their timing will ultimately be made directly by Trump.

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1865493908383819/

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