Overview
- President Donald Trump said after his May meeting with Xi Jinping that he would speak with Taiwan’s president, but he has given no date and Taiwan says the timing is his decision.
- A proposed $14 billion U.S. arms package for Taiwan remains officially under review, with Trump calling it a possible negotiating chip and U.S. officials citing weapons stock levels and procurement timelines as factors.
- Taiwan’s leaders say they are ready to take a call at any time and are pressing Washington to approve the sale as soon as possible while stressing their defence purchases are not meant to provoke China.
- Taipei is moving to strengthen its own forces after parliament trimmed parts of a large defence request and the defence ministry proposed an additional T$210 billion package for surveillance and unmanned systems.
- Beijing strongly objects to presidential-level contact and U.S. arms sales and has increased military sorties and patrols near Taiwan, a pattern that lawmakers and officials warn could raise regional tensions and test U.S. deterrence commitments.