Taiwan Presses for US Arms Support After Trump Says Decision Pending

The U.S. president said he must speak with Taiwan’s leader before deciding whether to proceed with the record arms sales package for Taipei.

Taiwan Air Force F-16 jet fighters fly during a patrolling mission at an undisclosed location in Taiwan in this handout image taken on May 23, 2024. Taiwan Defence Ministry/Handout via Reuters

Taiwan on May 16 pressed the case for continued U.S. arms support and closer security cooperation after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had not yet decided whether to move forward with a major weapons package for the self-governing island, which Beijing claims as its territory and has threatened to take by force.

The comments from Taiwan’s Presidential Office came after Trump said aboard Air Force One that he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping discussed Taiwan extensively during their summit in Beijing and that he would soon make a decision on the fate of a proposed multibillion-dollar arms package for Taipei.