US ‘very much’ understands Taiwan’s defence needs, Taipei official says
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Taiwan has been waiting for months for US President Donald Trump to approve a new arms sales package.
PHOTO: AFP
- The US "very much" understands Taiwan's defence needs and the serious military threat from China, according to Taiwan's Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi.
- Taiwan awaits approval from US President Donald Trump for a new US$14 billion arms sales package, following a prior US$11 billion deal in December 2025.
- US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged, with Washington legally bound to provide Taiwan means of defence despite China's opposition and calls to end arms sales.
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TAIPEI – The US “very much” understands Taiwan’s defence needs and the severe military threat it faces from China, a senior Taiwanese diplomat said on Sept 27, following a Washington summit between the US and Chinese leaders.
Democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has been waiting for months for US President Donald Trump to approve a new arms sales package worth some US$14 billion (S$18 billion), following up on a record US$11 billion deal unveiled in December 2025.
After meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in May, Trump said he was keeping the latest arms sales package in abeyance. He has not mentioned the sale since this week’s summit, saying only on Sept 26 that Xi understands his position on Taiwan.
Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Taiwanese Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi pointed to comments by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that military sales to anyone require the same careful consideration.
“Taiwan faces a severe situation in the Taiwan Strait. Even though China’s economy is declining, it continues investing more resources into building military capacity. Under this context, the US very much understands our defence needs,” Chen said.
Washington also understands Taiwan’s determination to invest in its military, he added.
“We do continuously communicate with them and we believe the US understands the situation we face and our determination on defence investment completely.”
The US is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself. China has repeatedly called for military sales to end.
US Ambassador to China David Perdue told CNBC on Sept 25 that there had been no change in Taiwan policy by Trump, including on arms sales.
Chen said Taiwan had received confirmation “from our American friends repeatedly that US policy towards Taiwan remains unchanged”.
Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s people can decide their future. China has rebuffed repeated calls for talks by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, whom it calls a “separatist”. REUTERS