Taiwan defense minister unaware of US arms sale chunking plan

Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo stated on Tuesday that he had not heard of any plans by the United States to break down a potential $14 billion arms sale into smaller packages. He emphasized that Washington's commitment to bolstering Taiwan's defenses remains steadfast.

US President Donald Trump has reportedly delayed approval of the new arms package, aiming to preserve positive relations and a trade truce with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In December, Trump had approved an $11 billion arms sale to Taipei. Earlier, in May, Trump had indicated he was holding up a second package, referring to it as a "very good negotiating chip."

China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, has consistently urged an end to US arms sales to the island. Previous reports from Taipei suggested that Washington might divide the sales into smaller tranches to mitigate potential offense to Beijing.

Speaking in parliament, Koo reiterated that the US has consistently affirmed its dedication to assisting Taiwan in enhancing its self-defense capabilities. "Regarding arms sales, we respect the US review process. We are also continuing to coordinate with the United States. At present, we have not received any information about so-called separate batches," he stated, without further elaboration. The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The US is legally obligated to provide Taiwan with the means for self-defense and serves as Taipei's most crucial international supporter, despite the lack of formal diplomatic relations. Koo noted that Taiwan and the US maintain "close exchanges in the military and defence spheres," which aids Taiwan's war-preparedness and military transformation efforts. This week, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung and former President Tsai Ing-wen are visiting the US. A US State Department spokesperson commented that engagement with Taiwan benefits the US and the global community due to Taiwan's technological prowess and democratic status. The Chinese embassy in Washington reiterated its strong opposition to any official interactions between Taiwan and the US.