Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te declared on Sunday that Taiwan will never be "traded away," urging the United States to continue weapon sales to the island democracy to preserve regional peace. His statement came after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that arms sales to Taiwan could serve as a bargaining chip in negotiations with China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened military action.
Lai's Strong Rebuttal
In a Facebook post, Lai emphasized that "the United States' continued arms sales to Taiwan and deepening of Taiwan-U.S. security cooperation are not only necessary but also key elements in maintaining regional peace and stability." He insisted that Taiwan, a global leader in AI and semiconductor manufacturing, stands at the "core" of global interests and "will never be sacrificed or traded away."
Trump's remarks after his state visit to Beijing—where Chinese President Xi Jinping pressed him not to support Taiwan—alarmed Taipei. Trump said arms sales to Taiwan "depends on China" and described them as a "very good negotiating chip for us." Taiwan views these sales as part of Washington's security commitment.
U.S. Legal Obligations and Ambiguity
The United States is legally required to provide weapons for Taiwan's defense, but its stance on direct military intervention remains ambiguous. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson called Lai's statement "a reasonable thing for the leader there to say," adding, "They've got to flex their muscle a little bit." Johnson affirmed Congress's resolve: "China cannot just go take over land, and we're going to stand strong."
Taiwan's parliament recently approved a $25 billion defense spending bill for U.S. weapons. Lawmakers noted that funds will cover nearly $9 billion of the $11.1 billion arms package announced by Washington in December, plus a second phase worth over $15 billion pending U.S. approval. Trump said he is still considering the sales and will decide "over the next fairly short period of time."
Trump's Call for 'Cool Down'
In a Fox News interview, Trump stated, "I'm not looking to have somebody go independent. And, you know, we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I'm not looking for that." He urged both sides to "cool down," adding, "If you kept it the way it is, I think China's going to be OK with that." Lai countered that China is the "root cause of regional instability" and vowed Taiwan "will not provoke or escalate conflicts" but will not be pressured into abandoning its "democratic and free way of life."
