TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) 鈥� Taiwan鈥檚 president on Sunday stressed that arms purchases from the United States are 鈥渢he most important deterrent鈥� of regional conflict and instability, after President Donald Trump called into question continued U.S. support of Taiwan following his visit to China.
U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and security cooperation between the two sides are not only governed by law but also a catalyst for regional peace and stability, President Lai Ching-te said in a statement.
鈥淲e thank President Trump for his continued support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait since his first term, including the continuous increase in the scale and amount of arms sales to Taiwan,鈥� he said.
His statement came days after Trump over his willingness to continue to sell arms to Taiwan, the island democracy that China claims as its own breakaway province, to be retaken by force if necessary.
The U.S., like all countries that have formal ties with China, doesn鈥檛 recognize Taiwan as a country but has been the island鈥檚 strongest backer and arms supplier. Washington is bound by its own laws to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself and sees all threats to the island as a matter of grave concern.
Trump rattles Taiwan with 鈥榖argaining chip鈥� comment
Trump already approved in December a arms package to Taiwan including missiles, drones, artillery systems and military software.
In an interview aired Friday on Fox 小萝莉影视, just as Trump wrapped up a , he said he has yet to greenlight a new $14 billion arms package to Taiwan and that it 鈥渄epends on China.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very good negotiating chip for us frankly,鈥� he said.
His comments raised concerns on the island, which the Taiwanese government has sought to disperse, noting that the U.S. official policy on Taiwan has not changed.
鈥淭aiwan will not provoke or escalate conflict, but it will also not relinquish its national sovereignty and dignity, or its democratic and free way of life, under pressure,鈥� Lai said in his statement, calling China 鈥渢he root cause of undermining regional peace and stability and attempting to change the status quo.鈥�
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson praised Lai’s statement, saying 鈥淚 thought that was a reasonable thing for the leader there to say.鈥� Johnson said on Fox 小萝莉影视 Sunday, 鈥淐hina cannot just go take over land, and we鈥檙e going to stand strong and resolute by that. I know the Congress will.鈥�
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on ABC’s 鈥淭his Week with George Stephanopoulos鈥� on Sunday that the president is 鈥渃onsidering how to move forward on鈥� the arms sales to Taiwan, noting previous U.S. presidents had paused sales in the past and Trump will need to weigh many factors. 鈥淲hen the president makes a decision on national security, it鈥檚 really based on American security needs first though,鈥� Greer said.
China has framed Taiwan as 鈥渢he most important issue in China-U.S. relations鈥� during Chinese President Xi Jinping鈥檚 recent talks with Trump.
In one of his strongest statements to date, Xi on Thursday warned Trump of if the issue of Taiwan was not handled properly.
China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, when the Communist Party rose to power in Beijing following a civil war. Defeated Nationalist Party forces fled to Taiwan, which later transitioned from martial law to multiparty democracy.
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Associated Press writer Didi Tang in Washington contributed to this report.
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