Taiwan has been awaiting approval of a U.S. weapons package that Reuters previously reported could be worth as much as $14 billion. The issue has drawn increased attention after President Donald Trump said earlier this month that he had not yet decided whether to authorize the proposed sale following talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Questions over the status of the package intensified after Acting U.S. Navy Secretary Hung Cao told a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing on Thursday that arms sales to Taiwan had been paused to ensure sufficient munitions were available for Operation Epic Fury, the military campaign launched by the United States and Israel against Iran in February.

A source familiar with the matter disputed that characterization, saying arms transfers to Taiwan require years of planning, review and implementation and are unrelated to the conflict with Iran.
“These sales take years to process and are unrelated to Operation Epic Fury,” the source said, adding that the U.S. military maintained adequate munitions inventories to support the administration’s strategic objectives.

The comments come as Washington seeks to balance support for Taiwan’s defense capabilities with broader management of relations with Beijing. China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly opposed U.S. arms sales to the island, urging Washington to halt such transfers.

The United States, while maintaining unofficial relations with Taiwan, is obligated under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide the self-governed island with the means to defend itself.

Following Trump’s meeting with Xi, U.S. officials reiterated that Washington’s policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged.

Taiwan’s government said on Friday it had not received any information indicating delays to pending U.S. arms sales.

Taipei rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, maintaining that only the island’s people can determine their future.

The remarks came after Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where the US president acknowledged uncertainty over future military sales to Taiwan, raising questions about Washington’s security commitment to the self-governed island claimed by China.

Despite having no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the United States remains Taipei’s most significant international supporter and is required under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide the island with defensive weapons.

Karen Kuo, spokesperson for Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, said China’s intensifying military activities represented the main destabilizing force in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Taiwan Strait.

“Military sales between Taiwan and the US are not only a reflection of the US security commitment to Taiwan as stipulated in the Taiwan Relations Act, but also serve as a mutual deterrence against regional threats,” Kuo said in a statement.She added that Taiwan appreciated Trump’s continued support for stability in the Taiwan Strait and would continue strengthening cooperation with Washington.

Reuters previously reported that a proposed second US arms package for Taiwan valued at approximately $14 billion remains pending approval after the Trump administration approved an $11 billion package in December.

Taiwanese Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi declined to comment directly on the pending sale, saying discussions remained ongoing with Washington.Taiwan’s government has also struggled to secure passage of a broader $40 billion defense spending proposal through an opposition-controlled parliament.

Earlier this month lawmakers approved roughly two-thirds of the requested budget, specifically allocating it for US arms procurement.US lawmakers from both major parties have urged the administration to continue supporting Taiwan militarily amid growing pressure from Beijing.

Trump also suggested he could speak directly with Lai regarding the proposed sale, telling reporters after his meeting with Xi that he needed to talk with “the person that’s running Taiwan.”Chen said Taipei was still trying to determine the “true intent” behind Trump’s comments.

A senior Taiwanese security official, speaking anonymously because of the issue’s sensitivity, said arms discussions should involve Taiwan rather than Beijing.China has increased military operations around Taiwan in recent years and has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control.

Beijing rejects Lai’s government and labels him a separatist.Kuo reiterated Taiwan’s position that the Republic of China, the island’s formal name, is “a sovereign, independent democratic country,” dismissing Beijing’s sovereignty claims.

The remarks introduced fresh uncertainty into Washington’s long-standing security support for Taiwan following Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday.

Despite lacking formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the United States remains the island’s principal international backer and is legally obligated under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide defensive weapons.

In a statement, spokesperson Karen Kuo for Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said China’s growing military pressure represented the primary destabilizing factor in the Indo-Pacific region and the Taiwan Strait.

“Military sales between Taiwan and the US are not only a reflection of the US security commitment to Taiwan as stipulated in the Taiwan Relations Act, but also serve as a mutual deterrence against regional threats,” Kuo said.

Taiwan thanked Trump for what Kuo described as his continued support for security in the Taiwan Strait and said Taipei would continue strengthening cooperation with Washington.

Reuters previously reported that a second US arms package for Taiwan valued at around $14 billion remains pending presidential approval after the Trump administration approved a record $11 billion package in December.

Speaking in Taipei, Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi declined to comment directly on the pending package because it has not been formally announced, but said Taiwan remained in communication with US officials.

Taiwan’s opposition-controlled parliament has delayed the government’s broader effort to secure an additional $40 billion in defense spending. Earlier this month lawmakers approved roughly two-thirds of the requested amount, earmarking it specifically for US arms purchases.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Washington have publicly urged the Trump administration to maintain weapons sales to Taiwan amid growing Chinese military activity near the island.

Trump also suggested after meeting Xi that he could speak directly with Lai regarding the proposed arms sale, saying he would need to talk with “the person … that’s running Taiwan.”

Chen said Taipei was still attempting to understand the “true intent” behind Trump’s comments.
A senior Taiwanese security official, speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of the issue, said discussions over arms sales should involve Taiwan rather than Beijing.

China claims Taiwan as its territory and has never ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control. Beijing has rejected repeated offers of talks from Lai, whom Chinese officials label a separatist.
Kuo reiterated Taiwan’s long-standing position that the Republic of China, Taiwan’s formal name, is “a sovereign, independent democratic country.”

Chinese military operations around Taiwan continued during Trump’s visit to Beijing, according to Taiwanese officials, as tensions over the island’s future remained a central flashpoint in US-China relations.

Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing from Wednesday to Friday for high-level talks with Xi, where the issue of self-governed Taiwan is expected to feature prominently amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Beijing.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly refused to renounce the use of force to bring the island under its control. Beijing has increased military pressure on Taiwan in recent years through naval patrols, air incursions and large-scale military exercises around the island.Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said the government remained in close contact with Washington and was carefully monitoring preparations for the Trump-Xi meeting.

“We have also maintained continuous communication with the United States whether through public statements from the U.S. government or through non-public channels. We are confident in the stable development of Taiwan-U.S. relations,” Lin said.“The U.S. government has repeatedly expressed that its Taiwan policy will not change,” he added.

The United States maintains unofficial ties with Taiwan but is legally obligated under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide the island with defensive capabilities. Washington has long viewed peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as central to Indo-Pacific security.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that maintaining stability across the Taiwan Strait remained a priority for Washington.

At the same time, the United States has intensified pressure on allies and partners, including Taiwan, to increase military spending in response to growing geopolitical threats and expanding Chinese military capabilities.Taiwan’s opposition-controlled parliament last week approved a reduced special defense budget, falling short of the amount requested by the government.

A senior U.S. official said on Sunday that Washington was disappointed by the lower allocation, arguing the spending level did not fully match Taiwan’s security needs.Lin urged lawmakers to take corrective action to strengthen defense funding, saying deterrence depended on Taiwan’s ability to demonstrate credible self-defense capabilities.

“Peace depends on strength it requires demonstrating the defense capability for self-defense in order to deter aggression,” Lin said.He also accused China’s Communist leadership of accelerating military expansion and promoting authoritarian influence beyond its borders.

The Trump-Xi summit is expected to be closely watched by governments across Asia and the wider international community for indications of how the world’s two largest powers intend to manage growing strategic rivalry, particularly over Taiwan and regional security.