U. S. arms sales to Taiwan take a long time to process and are not linked to the conflict with Iran, according to a source familiar with the situation. Taiwan is waiting for the U. S. to approve an arms deal valued at up to $14 billion. President Donald Trump caused some uncertainty in Taiwan by saying he was undecided about the approval following his meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping.
Acting U. S. Navy Secretary Hung Cao mentioned that there is a pause on arms sales to ensure that the U. S. has enough munitions for the Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran. However, the source stated that these sales are unrelated to the operation and that the U. S. has sufficient military resources to meet all strategic goals.
The U. S. is committed to defending Taiwan under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, and it claims its policy on Taiwan remains unchanged. A White House official indicated that Trump would decide on a new arms package soon. Taiwan has expressed growing concerns over threats from China, which has increased military activities around the island.
Taiwan’s National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu noted China’s recent naval deployments, emphasizing the threat it poses to regional stability. China has consistently requested that the U. S. stop its arms sales to Taiwan.
With information from Reuters
