"“I'm holding that in abeyance and it depends on China,” he said. “It's a very good negotiating chip for us, frankly. It's a lot of weapons.”"
"China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, to be retaken by force if necessary. The U.S., like all countries that have formal ties with Beijing, doesn't recognize Taiwan as a country but has been the island's strongest backer and arms supplier."
"By conditioning U.S. arms sales to Taiwan on his negotiations with China, Trump may play into one the island's “nightmare scenarios,” said William Yang, a Northeast Asia senior analyst for International Crisis Group: that Taiwan, instead of being at the negotiating table, is on the menu."
"Trump and the U.S. Congress already approved in December a separate $11 billion arms sales package to Taiwan. Beijing reacted furiously by staging live fire drills around the island. China warned of 'clashes and even conflicts' over Taiwan."
Trump said a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan is being held in abeyance and depends on China, calling it a “very good negotiating chip.” China views Taiwan as a breakaway province to be retaken by force if needed, while the U.S. does not recognize Taiwan as a country but is its strongest arms supplier. U.S. law requires providing Taiwan the means to defend itself, and threats to the island are treated as grave concerns. Conditioning arms sales on negotiations may create fears that Taiwan becomes a bargaining item rather than a negotiating partner. Trump has also pressed Beijing to buy more American goods and help pressure Iran. China responded to prior approved arms sales with live-fire drills and warned of clashes and conflicts.
#us-china-relations #taiwan-arms-sales #china-taiwan-tensions #trump-foreign-policy #regional-security
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