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Taiwan\u2019s president on Sunday stressed that arms purchases from the United States are \u201cthe most important deterrent\u201d of regional conflict and instability, after President Donald Trump called into question continued U.S. support of Taiwan following his visit to China.<\/p>\n
U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and security cooperation between the two sides are not only governed by law but also a catalyst for regional peace and stability, President Lai Ching-te said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe thank President Trump for his continued support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait since his first term, including the continuous increase in the scale and amount of arms sales to Taiwan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
His statement came days after Trump\u00a0raised doubts\u00a0over his willingness to continue to sell arms to Taiwan, the island democracy that China claims as its own breakaway province, to be retaken by force if necessary.<\/p>\n
The U.S., like all countries that have formal ties with China, doesn\u2019t recognize Taiwan as a country but has been the island\u2019s strongest backer and arms supplier. Washington is bound by its own laws to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself and sees all threats to the island as a matter of grave concern.<\/p>\n
Trump rattles Taiwan with \u2018bargaining chip\u2019 comment<\/p>\n
Trump already approved in December a\u00a0record-breaking $11 billion\u00a0arms package to Taiwan including missiles, drones, artillery systems and military software.<\/p>\n
In an interview aired Friday on Fox News, just as Trump wrapped up a\u00a0high-stakes visit to China, he said he has yet to greenlight a new $14 billion arms package to Taiwan and that it \u201cdepends on China.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a very good negotiating chip for us frankly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
His comments raised concerns on the island, which the Taiwanese government has sought to disperse, noting that the U.S. official policy on Taiwan has not changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cTaiwan will not provoke or escalate conflict, but it will also not relinquish its national sovereignty and dignity, or its democratic and free way of life, under pressure,\u201d Lai said in his statement, calling China \u201cthe root cause of undermining regional peace and stability and attempting to change the status quo.\u201d<\/p>\n
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson praised Lai\u2019s statement, saying \u201cI thought that was a reasonable thing for the leader there to say.\u201d Johnson said on Fox News Sunday, \u201cChina cannot just go take over land, and we\u2019re going to stand strong and resolute by that. I know the Congress will.\u201d<\/p>\n
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on ABC\u2019s \u201cThis Week with George Stephanopoulos\u201d on Sunday that the president is \u201cconsidering how to move forward on\u201d the arms sales to Taiwan, noting previous U.S. presidents had paused sales in the past and Trump will need to weigh many factors. \u201cWhen the president makes a decision on national security, it\u2019s really based on American security needs first though,\u201d Greer said.<\/p>\n
China has framed Taiwan as \u201cthe most important issue in China-U.S. relations\u201d during Chinese President Xi Jinping\u2019s recent talks with Trump.<\/p>\n
In one of his strongest statements to date, Xi on Thursday warned Trump of\u00a0\u201cclashes and even conflicts\u201d\u00a0if the issue of Taiwan was not handled properly.<\/p>\n
China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, when the Communist Party rose to power in Beijing following a civil war. Defeated Nationalist Party forces fled to Taiwan, which later transitioned from martial law to multiparty democracy.<\/p>\n
#Taiwan #arms #sales #Trump #called #bargaining #chip #important #deterrent<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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