Trump to Speak with Taiwan Leader on Potential Arms Sale

Washington DC. US President Donald Trump has said he will speak with Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te on the subject of a potential arms sale, a step that is far from diplomatic tradition. Since Washington recognized the Beijing government and severed formal ties with Taiwan in 1979, there has been no direct communication between US and Taiwanese leaders.

Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out the possibility of using military force to bring it under control. Lai, who took office in 2024, has been making the strongest efforts in many years to strengthen the island's defense system.

The US has long supported Taiwan and is legally obligated to provide Taiwan with self-defense tools, but at the same time, the US faces the challenge of balancing its diplomatic relations with China.

When asked on Wednesday if Trump planned to speak with Lai before the US decided to sell arms to Taiwan, Trump said, 'I will speak with her, I speak with everyone, and we will work on the Taiwan issue.' He also praised his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping as 'wonderful' in the background of a two-day summit held in Beijing last week.

In 1979, the US passed the Taiwan Relations Act, which states that the US 'can provide Taiwan with defensive weapons,' and for that reason, the US continues to sell arms to Taiwan. The potential $14 billion arms package to Taiwan is said to include anti-drone equipment and air defense missile systems. Trump has not yet decided whether this arms sale will proceed.

According to a Financial Times report, Beijing has blocked the proposed visit of top Pentagon policy official Elbridge Colby. China has stated that the visit cannot be approved until Trump decides how to proceed with the arms deal.

When Trump was asked about selling arms to Taiwan while returning on Air Force One from Beijing after meeting President Xi last week, he said he would 'make a firm decision on this matter in a short time.' He said, 'I have to talk to the person running Taiwan now, you know who she is.'

During Trump's visit to Beijing, China made it clear that Taiwan is the biggest issue in its relations with the US, and President Xi warned that if it is not handled well, there could be a 'conflict' between the two superpowers.

Although Trump dismissed the possibility of conflict between the US and China over the island, he said that Xi is 'very serious' about the issue of Taiwan. He told reporters last week, 'I have not made any commitments.'

After the meeting between Trump and Xi, Taiwanese leader Lai issued a statement saying that the island is a 'sovereign, independent democratic country' and that peace in the Taiwan Strait cannot be made a 'sacrifice or trade.' Lai also emphasized that US arms sales are a 'key factor in maintaining regional peace and stability.'

This is not the first time Trump has broken established diplomatic tradition. When he was elected president in 2016, he spoke with then-Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen, which China protested to the US. Trump also claimed to have discussed the issue of arms sales with Xi 'in detail,' which, if true, would be another surprising violation of US policy.

In 1982, the US assured Beijing that it would not consult with it on the issue of arms sales to Taiwan. But when asked about that commitment while returning from Beijing, Trump said the 1980s were 'ancient history.'

Last December, the US approved an $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which angered Beijing. Taiwan has significantly increased its defense spending under President Lai to counter China's growing military pressure.