TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan hasn’t been notified of any pause in a planned $14 billion U.S. arms sale to the self-governing island, a government official said Friday, after the acting U.S. Navy secretary told a Senate committee in Washington that some foreign military sales were being delayed to ensure the American military has enough munitions for the Iran war.
Days after U.S. President Donald Trump raised doubts about continuing arms sales to Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, acting U.S. Navy Secretary Hung Cao said Thursday that the sales would resume when the administration considers it appropriate.
“Right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for ‘Epic Fury,’” Cao told the U.S. Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, referring to the Trump administration’s name for the Iran operation. “Then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary.”
Taiwan’s authorities have seen the reports, “but currently there is no information regarding any adjustments the U.S. will make to this arms sale,” Taiwanese presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo said Friday when asked about Cao’s comments.
China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province to be brought under its control by force if necessary. Like other countries that maintain formal diplomatic ties with Beijing, the U.S. doesn’t recognize Taiwan as a country, but Washington remains the island’s strongest backer and arms supplier.
Trump’s Republican administration authorized an $11 billion weapons package for Taipei in December, but it has yet to move forward. American lawmakers also approved a separate $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan in January, though the deal can’t proceed until Trump formally submits it to U.S. Congress.
In an interview with Fox News on his way back to the United States from last week’s trip to Beijing, Trump said that arms sales to Taiwan are “a very good negotiating chip” in Washington’s dealings with China.
On Wednesday, marking his two years in office, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said that if given the chance, he would tell Trump to continue U.S. arms purchases, which Lai called essential for peace.
China warns U.S. over Taiwan
When asked about Cao’s comments, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that “China’s opposition to the U.S. arms sale to China’s Taiwan region is consistent, clear-cut and resolute.”
Last week, during Trump’s visit to Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a strong warning, telling him that the “Taiwan question” is the most important issue in U.S.-China relations and that the two nations could “have clashes and even conflicts,” if the issues isn’t handled properly.
Trump later told reporters that he needed to talk to the person who is running Taiwan, without naming Lai, who Beijing deems a separatist.
Trump and Lai holding talks likely would anger China, which typically responds strongly to visits to Taiwan by U.S. politicians.
Kuo, the Taiwan presidential spokesperson, said Friday there was no more information about a potential conversation between Lai and Trump.
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