Reuters reported on Friday that a US$14 billion arms package to Taiwan, possibly the largest ever, is ready for US President Donald Trump's approval and could be announced after his visit to Beijing. Despite the delay in the Trump-Xi summit, Taiwan's Defence Minister Wellington Koo Li-hsiung reassured on Tuesday that Taipei had received no indication of any sales delay. Broader concerns loom as the US depletes ammunition stockpiles in the war on Iran.
The postponement of the planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping has prompted questions about its potential impact on US arms sales to Taiwan. Reuters reported on Friday that a US$14 billion arms package—possibly the largest ever for Taiwan—is ready for the US president's approval and could be announced following his visit to Beijing. The package is expected to include advanced air-defence systems such as Patriot PAC-3 missiles and the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or Nasams, along with an added US$6 billion in “asymmetric” capabilities. Taiwan’s defence minister, Wellington Koo Li-hsiung, sought to reassure the public on Tuesday, saying Taipei had not received any indication of a sales delay. Broader concerns persist as the US depletes ammunition stockpiles in the war on Iran.
