Senior US senator Roger Wicker expects joint weapons production with Taiwan

TAIPEI – US Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee and a strong advocate for Taiwan, said on Aug 30 that he thought there would be future joint US-Taiwanese weapons production, something Taipei has pushed for.

The United States is Taiwan’s most important international backer and weapons supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, though since President Donald Trump took office earlier in 2025, no new arms sales have been announced.

Asked at a news conference in Taipei about the prospect of joint production of weapons, including drones, Mr Wicker, a Republican, was upbeat.

“I think there’s going to be joint production and joint efforts and that will depend on the skills present both on this side of the Pacific Ocean and ours, and actually we’re open to suggestion and innovation in that regard,” he said, at the end of a two-day visit during which he met Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.

A Taiwan official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that co-production of weapons was “very important”.

Mr Wicker is one of the fiercest supporters of Taiwan in the US Congress. Beijing, which regularly denounces any show of support for Taipei from Washington, has criticised his visit, saying it opposes official interactions between Taiwan and the US.

He is in Taiwan at a time when the island is facing a 20 per cent tariff on exports to the US, as part of Mr Trump’s sweeping new trade policy on many other parts of the world.

Mr Wicker noted there were talks on trade going on around the world.

“That in no way affects the defence alliance and friendship and determination that the United States has to be a friend to the sovereign rights of the Taiwanese people to enjoy their democracy,” he said.

His trip also takes place as some members of Congress – both Mr Trump’s fellow Republicans and Democrats – have expressed concern that Mr Trump is de-emphasising security issues as he works on negotiating a trade deal with China.

Administration officials have said Mr Trump remains fully committed to Asia-Pacific security matters as he pursues his trade agenda and a good personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

China claims the democratically governed island as its own and has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Beijing has stepped up military and political pressure against the island in recent years. REUTERS