The U.S. is reportedly contemplating the postponement of a significant arms deal with Taiwan until after the APEC summit in November.
The potential delay comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping prepares for a state visit to Washington this week. President Donald Trump may extend the delay through year-end, potentially until the bilateral meeting at the APEC summit and Xi Jinping’s expected visit to Florida for the G20 summit in December, according to the South China Morning Post on Saturday.
Beijing’s strong opposition could increase the likelihood of further delays into next year, as per the report. The Trump administration could also announce a smaller arms package between this week’s Washington summit and the November APEC meeting, but a multibillion-dollar deal appears less likely.
Meanwhile, Taiwanese officials worry Trump could delay arms sales until the end of his presidency, the report indicated.
White House did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
Taiwan Arms Sales Paused Amid Iran War
This isn’t the first time the U.S. has considered delaying arms sales to Taiwan. In May, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told lawmakers that some foreign military sales to Taiwan had been temporarily paused to ensure sufficient munitions for Operation Epic Fury against Iran. A U.S. source later told Reuters that the Taiwan sales were unrelated to the Iran war, while Taiwan said it had not been formally notified of a pause.
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said the U.S. has temporarily paused some foreign military sales to ensure sufficient munitions for Operation Epic Fury, adding that sales will resume when the administration deems necessary. A report indicated that the U.S. has already used significant numbers of RTX Corp‘s (NYSE:RTX) Tomahawk cruise missiles and Patriot interceptors, alongside other precision weapons, since fighting began earlier this year.
While the U.S. has no mutual defense treaty with Taiwan, the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act states that the U.S. should make available to Taiwan defense articles and services in such quantity as necessary to maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities.
China Opposes US Arms Sales to Taiwan
China has consistently condemned U.S. arms deals with Taiwan, calling them a “gross violation” of the one-China principle and of agreements between Washington and Beijing. In December, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, criticized the United States for approving an $11.15 billion arms package to Taiwan.
Meanwhile, Taiwan has been pushing back against China’s pressure and seeking swift approval of U.S. arms sales. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has emphasized that Taiwan’s actions are focused on protecting its democratic system and security.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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