Taiwan will continue to rely on bipartisan support in the US Congress to strengthen its defense capabilities, the island’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo said. His comments came after the US midterm elections, in which the Democrats won both chambers.
Asked whether the change in the balance of power in Washington could affect the stalled weapons sale package worth around $14 billion, Koo said that support for Taiwan did not depend on a single party.
“I believe that the US Congress has always been bipartisan and will support Taiwan in strengthening its defense capabilities,” Wellington Koo said.“We will also continue to maintain contact with members of Congress and, of course, maintain close contacts with the US Department of Defense to ensure that these weapons sales go ahead according to schedule,” he added.
The Delayed $14 Billion Package
The US is Taiwan’s most important international supporter and arms supplier, although Washington and Taipei do not have formal diplomatic relations. In December, President Donald Trump approved an $11 billion arms sale—the largest deal in the history of relations between the two sides.
The second package, estimated at around $14 billion, remains stalled. After meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in May, Trump described it as a good “bargaining chip” that he was keeping on hold.
Koo’s statement does not mean that the package has received new approval or that a date has been set for its implementation. The Taiwanese minister merely said that his government would continue talks with US institutions and lawmakers.
Pressure from Beijing
China regards the Taiwan issue as the country’s most sensitive and important diplomatic matter and has repeatedly called on the US to end arms sales to the island. The democratically elected government in Taipei rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says that only the people of Taiwan can decide their future.
US law requires the United States to provide Taiwan with means of self-defense. In September, four Republicans called on the Trump administration to provide more than $15 billion in national security assistance to the island.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the future of the weapons package.
Sources: bta.bg