US President Donald Trump said he will soon decide whether to approve additional weapons sales to Taiwan, following warnings from Chinese President Xi Jinping against further military support for the self-ruled island.
Speaking on Monday, Trump said he had a “good conversation” with Xi and would make a determination shortly, noting his “good relationship” with the Chinese leader. During a February 4 phone call, Xi urged “mutual respect” in US-China relations and cautioned Washington to handle arms sales to Taiwan carefully, describing the Taiwan issue as the most sensitive matter between the two nations.
Trump and Xi are expected to meet in Beijing in April.
Although China’s ruling Communist Party has never governed Taiwan, Beijing considers the island of 23 million people part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification. The United States does not formally recognize Taiwan but remains its primary military supporter, though Trump’s second term has seen a somewhat softer tone on the issue.
In December, the US approved $11 billion worth of arms sales to Taiwan, according to Taipei. Soon after, China conducted extensive live-fire military drills simulating a blockade of Taiwan’s major ports.
Tensions remain high. Over the weekend, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi warned Washington against “plotting” on Taiwan, cautioning that such actions could trigger confrontation. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Wang accused the US of potentially crossing China’s “red line” by encouraging separatist moves through Taiwan.
Meanwhile, Taiwan has significantly increased its defense spending over the past decade amid mounting pressure from both Beijing and Washington. President Lai Ching-te has proposed an additional $40 billion in defense funding over eight years, but the opposition-controlled parliament has blocked the plan multiple times since December.
Last week, dozens of US lawmakers urged Taiwan’s opposition parties to approve the defense package. In a recent interview, Lai expressed confidence that the budget would ultimately pass.
