Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo Li-hsiung said on Monday that he’s “cautiously optimistic” that the US will advance a $14 billion arms package for Taiwan after the US Navy secretary said it was on hold due to the war with Iran.
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told Congress last week that the US was “doing a pause” on the massive weapons package to “make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury,” the code name for the US-Israeli war against Iran.
Cao’s comments appeared to contradict President Trump, who suggested the arms package could be used as a “negotiating chip” with China. During his recent visit to Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a stern warning regarding Taiwan, telling the US president that if the issue isn’t handled properly, it could lead to “clashes and conflicts” between the two superpowers.
In December, the Trump administration advanced an $11 billion weapons package for Taiwan, more than was approved for the island during the entire Biden administration. In response, China launched major military drills around Taiwan that simulated a blockade, and Beijing is expected to do something similar if the $14 billion package moves forward.
Koo told reporters he was optimistic that the US would approve the arms sale because Taiwan had received “no notification” that its policy had changed. Cao also said that the US hadn’t discussed the issue with Taiwan.
“From the Defense Ministry’s standpoint, we continue to maintain communication with the US War Department,” Koo said, according to The South China Morning Post. “The reason we remain cautiously optimistic is because we believe that under unchanged US policy towards Taiwan, the core interest involved here is peace in the Taiwan Strait, and peace in the Taiwan Strait is a core interest of the United States.”
Taiwan recently approved a $25 billion increase in military spending, intended exclusively for purchasing US weapons, though a US official said the Trump administration was “disappointed” that the amount wasn’t higher.
