Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo today said that the next arms sale package from the US is on track after the government received a letter of guarantee from Washington, even as the leaders from the US and China prepare to meet in May.
A major US arms package for Taiwan worth about US$14 billion that includes advanced interceptor missiles is ready for US President Donald Trump's approval and could be signed after his trip to China, Reuters reported this month, citing sources briefed on the discussion.
However, Trump has postponed that trip, originally scheduled for early April, due to the Iran war, and is now due in Beijing from May 14 to 15.
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times
Taiwan is sure to be a topic, especially after Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) told Trump in a call last month that the US must "carefully" handle arms sales to the democratically governed nation.
Asked by reporters at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei whether the Trump-Xi meeting would affect US arms sales, Koo said the government had already received a letter of guarantee indicating that the US is willing to authorize the next deal.
"We have also been in close communication with the US Department of War's Defense Security Cooperation Agency regarding its willingness to provide this to us, including guidance concerning the items, the amount and the transaction," he said, without offering details.
The package is still undergoing an internal US review and Taiwan has not received any notification about delays, Koo said.
The US Department of State, which generally handles queries about government policy toward Taiwan, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
China has repeatedly demanded Washington end arms sales to Taipei, the last of which in December last year was worth US$11 billion — the largest ever for Taiwan.
The US is Taiwan's most important international backer and weapons supplier, despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties, and is bound by law to provide the nation with the means to defend itself.
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