US President Donald Trump is soon to decide on Taiwan arms sales, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday, after media reports said Washington had paused a proposed US$14 billion arms package for Taiwan due to the war with Iran.
“As President Trump said, he will make a decision regarding Taiwan arms sales soon,” the source told the Central News Agency on condition of anonymity.
The source refuted reports citing the war with Iran as the reason for the delay in Presidential approval.
Photo: CNA
“These sales take years to process and are unrelated to Operation Epic Fury,” the source said, adding that the US has “more than enough munitions, ammo, and stockpiles to serve all of President Trump’s strategic goals and beyond.”
In a statement on Friday, Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell also said that details regarding prospective foreign military sales and security assistance “remain pre-decisional until finalized by the President.”
“Our Taiwan policy remains unchanged, and the US continues to adhere to longstanding commitment consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act,” Parnell said.
During a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing on Thursday, acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao said Washington was withholding the package to ensure it had sufficient munitions for its ongoing war with Iran, according to The Hill.
“Right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury — which we have plenty,” Cao was quoted as saying, adding that the decision would rest with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
In response to media queries about a possible pause in arms sales to Taiwan, a White House official pointed out that Trump approved US$11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan in December last year, which was “consistent with US policy since the 1950s.”
Separately, four people familiar with the matter said the US and Taiwan have not made concrete plans for talks between their presidents, despite Trump’s suggestion he might speak soon with Taiwanese President William Lai (賴清德) about the nation’s defenses.
A call between the two leaders would be unprecedented and risks roiling Washington’s ties with Beijing.
The leaders of the two nations have not spoken directly since Washington shifted diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei in 1979.
Trump said again on Wednesday he would speak with Lai, dispelling initial speculation that his first mention of it after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) last week was a verbal slip.
Trump’s initial comments about the call sparked surprise among officials in Washington and Taipei, according to two of the people familiar with the matter.
In the days since, officials from the US and Taiwan have been in touch about the prospect of a call, according to one of the people familiar with the matter, but all four sources said no concrete plans have been put in place.
The White House declined to comment.
A spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington said the US needs to honor its commitments and exercise caution on Taiwan, adding that it should “stop sending the wrong message to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.”
“China’s opposition to any official exchanges between the US and China’s Taiwan region, and the US’ arms sales to Taiwan is consistent, clear and rock-firm,” the spokesperson said.
Beijing has privately warned Washington that such a call could damage their ties and unwind progress between the countries at the state visit, according to two of the people briefed on the messages.
Taiwan’s Presidential Office referred to comments Lai made on Wednesday that, if he got the opportunity to speak to Trump, he would say China was undermining peace and nobody has the right to “annex” the nation. Lai did not say whether any call had been set up.
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