Kamal Ghorui
Taiwan on Friday sent a pointed message to China after the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing, saying US arms sales to the island are protected by American law and that Taipei will continue to deepen strategic ties with the United States.The statement came after President Donald Trump said he had discussed Taiwan arms sales with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting in Beijing and would soon decide on a pending weapons package for the island, according to Reuters.With concerns rising in Taiwan over whether Trump’s outreach to Beijing could affect Washington’s support, Taipei used the moment to stress that military assistance to the island is not a political concession that can be traded away in negotiations with China.In a Facebook post, foreign minister Lin Chia-lung said his diplomatic team had closely tracked the Trump-Xi talks and remained in constant touch with Washington and allied countries.“Recently, many Taiwanese have been concerned about the US-China interaction situation and the progress of the Trump-Xi meeting. I and the diplomatic team continue to keep a close grasp of the situation and maintain good communication with the US side and like-minded countries to ensure a stable deepening of Taiwan-US relations,” Lin said.He said the administration of President Lai Ching-te had already prepared for multiple scenarios ahead of the summit and had maintained real-time reporting to ensure a swift response to any shifts.Lin also highlighted remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Washington’s Taiwan policy had not changed.“As US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has explained, there has been no change in the long-term policy of the US government towards Taiwan over multiple terms,” Lin said.The United States is required under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself. Reuters has previously reported that Washington approved an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan in December, while another package worth around $14 billion is awaiting Trump’s approval.Making clear that Taiwan intends to move closer to Washington despite Beijing’s objections, Lin said the island would continue strengthening defence and strategic cooperation.“Taiwan is in a key geo-strategic position as a responsible and trusted partner of the international community. In the future, we will continue to deepen cooperation with the United States and Indo-Pacific countries, strengthen our self-defense capabilities, and jointly protect peace, stability and prosperity in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.Lin also pushed back against what he described as attempts by China and some domestic voices to portray Taiwan’s future as something to be decided through cross-strait political arrangements.He said Taiwan’s sovereignty was not negotiable and accused Beijing of being the real source of instability.“Taiwan has always been a contributor and guardian of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and what really continues to raise regional risks is China’s expanding military operations and authoritarian repression in recent years,” Lin said.“China, which seeks to change the status quo of international order and regional peace and stability, is the main source of widespread concern to the international community,” he added.
