Taiwan watches Xi-Trump meeting closely, hopes US arms sales continue — SkimNews
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- Taiwan expressed confidence that U.S. arms sales will continue despite Chinese pressure, with Defence Ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Chiao Fu-chun pledging close contact with the U.S. "Department of War" to push the procurement deal forward.
- China pressed Washington to halt arms sales during a May summit between Trump and Xi in Beijing; after that meeting the U.S. paused a record-breaking $14 billion package and Trump called arms sales to Taiwan "a very good negotiating chip" with Beijing.
- Washington approved a separate $11 billion arms package for Taiwan in December, reinforcing its legal obligation to help the self-ruled island defend itself.
- Taiwan's military conducted live-fire drills hours before Xi's September 23 arrival, showcasing "The Cheetah," a domestically developed eight-wheeled armoured vehicle with a 105mm cannon, ~100 kph top speed, and ~500 km operational range.
- Trump has pressed Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te to dramatically raise defence spending; the budget will exceed 3% of GDP for the first time in 2027, with Lai pledging to reach 5% by 2030.
Why it matters: Taipei is pressing both tracks simultaneously — lobbying Washington to keep a $14 billion arms package moving while showcasing a domestically built armored vehicle in drills and committing to a defence budget that will exceed 3% of GDP by 2027 and hit 5% by 2030. With Trump explicitly calling arms sales a negotiating chip with Beijing, Taiwan's own-weapons pivot reduces its exposure to any deal Trump might cut with Xi.
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