Taiwan thanks US for its support ahead of Trump-Xi summit — SkimNews
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- Taiwan's government thanked the US for its "firm and clear position of support" on Sept 24, with Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee saying Taipei is "maintaining close contact" with Washington ahead of the Trump-Xi summit.
- Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Sept 23 ahead of the Sept 24 summit and is expected to press Trump to halt US arms sales to Taiwan altogether, sources briefed on the matter told Reuters.
- China on Sept 23 reiterated that Taiwan is a "red line" the US "must not cross," framing arms sales as a sovereignty issue on the eve of the Washington meeting.
- The Trump administration approved an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan in December — the largest ever — but a second $14 billion package has been held up for months; Trump called it a "very good negotiating chip" after his May summit with Xi.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the hold-up by citing stockpile constraints, telling reporters in New York: "If we sell you something, we don't have it anymore."
Why it matters: Taiwan is the most visible flashpoint in the Trump-Xi summit, with a $14 billion arms package frozen since May as a "very good negotiating chip." Rubio's "we don't have it right now" rationale frames the constraints as both resource and political — putting the weapons squarely on the table as a bargaining instrument.
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