Trump passes on Taiwan military support to strike deal with China - WP
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump refused to approve military aid to Taiwan worth over $400 million this past summer. The decision is linked to a potential deal with China, according to The Washington Post.
Five sources told the publication that the refusal was related to Trump’s attempt to negotiate a trade agreement and a possible summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Some noted that this decision, which could still be reversed, signals a potential shift in US policy toward Taiwan, which China considers its territory.
According to two sources familiar with the matter, the proposed package would have exceeded $400 million and been “more lethal” than previous rounds of aid to Taiwan, including ammunition and autonomous drones.
The Washington Post added that, according to a White House spokesperson, no decision on the aid package has been finalized. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s embassy in Washington declined to comment.
US military aid to Taiwan
The report notes that the US military has long allocated resources for Taiwan’s defense, while China’s armed forces are rapidly expanding and conducting increasingly large-scale exercises around the island.
US military and intelligence officials say Xi Jinping has instructed his army to be capable of taking Taiwan by 2027, although this date is not considered a strict deadline for invasion.
Meanwhile, the Post reports that during a meeting in Anchorage in August between US defense officials and Taiwanese representatives, both sides agreed on a large-scale arms sale.
According to four sources, Taiwan plans to pay for the new arms package, potentially worth billions of dollars. To fund this, a legislative bill for additional defense spending is being actively discussed by the island’s authorities.
Sources also said that the package would consist almost entirely of asymmetric equipment, such as drones, missiles, and sensors for monitoring the island’s coasts.
However, delivery of such next-generation weapons could take years. Taipei is already awaiting arms shipments worth billions of dollars, including F-16 fighter jets and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
Next year, Taiwan plans to spend 3.3% of its GDP on defense. The country intends to increase this figure, as Trump has urged, setting a benchmark of 10%. In August, President Tsai Ing-wen stated that by 2030, the island would allocate 5% of GDP to defense.
Regarding additional military aid, the Trump administration unofficially notified Congress this week about a possible $500 million arms sale to Taiwan.
On the broader Taiwan issue, the Washington Pos noted the well-known fact that Trump has repeatedly stated that China would not invade Taiwan while he is in office.
