Taiwan Signals Confidence in US Arms Sales as Xi Meets Trump
Taiwan voiced confidence that US arms sales will continue as Xi Jinping meets Donald Trump, and unveiled live-fire drills featuring a new armored vehicle.
Taiwan has expressed confidence that United States arms sales to the island will proceed, even as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington for a three-day state visit and a meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Beijing has long pressed Washington to halt such sales, most notably at a May summit between the two leaders in Beijing. Following that meeting, the United States paused a record-breaking $14 billion arms package, and Trump described arms sales to Taiwan as a "very good negotiating chip" with China.
Taiwan's Defense Ministry said it remains in close contact with its US counterparts. "We will continue to maintain close contact with the U.S. Department of War and continue to push forward the arms procurement deal between Taiwan and the U.S., ensuring it proceeds as planned," ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Chiao Fu-chun told reporters in the southern city of Tainan.
He noted that the US government and Congress have repeatedly voiced support for Taiwan's self-defense capabilities. Washington approved another $11 billion package for Taiwan in December.
The United States, while not recognizing Taiwan as a country, is bound by its own laws to provide the self-ruled democracy — which China claims as its territory — with the means to defend itself. It remains the island's strongest informal backer and arms provider.
Hours before Xi's arrival, Taiwan's military conducted live-fire drills on Wednesday featuring a domestically developed eight-wheeled armored vehicle, underscoring its push to strengthen local arms production. The vehicle, called The Cheetah, can be fitted with a 105-millimeter cannon, reach a top speed of about 100 kph and has an operational range of roughly 500 kilometers. Maj. Gen. Chen Chien-chung said it can operate across various terrains and is suited to urban warfare.
Trump has in recent years urged Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te to sharply increase the island's defense budget. That budget is set to exceed 3% of Taiwan's gross domestic product for the first time in 2027, and Lai has pledged to reach 5% by 2030.