U.S. 14-Billion-Dollar Arms Sale to Taiwan: Trump Says It's Under Consideration

U.S. President Trump said on Friday, June 5, that his administration is still reviewing a new round of arms sales to Taiwan worth approximately $14 billion.

According to Nikkei Asia, if the $14 billion arms package is approved, the total value of arms sales to Taiwan during Trump’s second term would be about 36% higher than the four-year total under the Biden administration.

Quoting Central News Agency, Trump said on Friday while speaking to media aboard Air Force One that he had not yet made a decision on the arms deal. He responded, "We are considering this."

Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio stated during a congressional hearing that the $14 billion arms sale remains under review and has not been shelved.

Rubio pointed out that such a large-scale arms sale involves not only U.S. policy toward Taiwan but also the foundation of America’s defense industrial base and future defense production planning, requiring careful balancing across multiple factors.

Rubio emphasized that the United States will not consult China on arms sales to Taiwan, a stance consistent with long-standing U.S. policy.

Nikkei Asia reported that since the beginning of Trump’s second term, the scale of arms sales approved for Taiwan has clearly surpassed the level during former President Biden’s comparable period. According to statistics from the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council, the total value of arms sales approved by the Biden administration over its four years was approximately $8.4 billion; during Trump’s first term, about $18.3 billion in arms sales were approved—setting a record high for any modern U.S. administration.

The report noted that the Trump administration had already approved a $11.4 billion arms package for Taiwan in December last year. If the current $14 billion arms sale plan is ultimately approved, the total value of arms sales approved by Trump’s administration during his second term would reach approximately $25 billion.

However, amid ongoing efforts by both the U.S. and China to improve and stabilize their relations, this arms deal has drawn particular attention. Officials from both countries are also planning more high-level meetings later this year.

Analysts point out that Beijing has long opposed U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. Should Washington push forward with another large-scale arms sale, China is likely to respond strongly and could introduce new uncertainties into a series of upcoming high-level U.S.-China engagements.

According to data tracked by George Mason University in the U.S., as of April this year, the total value of weapons approved by the U.S. but not yet delivered to Taiwan stood at approximately $29.7 billion.

Source: rfi

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1867222067736666/

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