Trump Says He Will Decide on $14 Billion Taiwan Arms Package After Detailed Talks With Xi

President Trump said Friday he is unsure whether he would greenlight a planned $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan after discussing arms sales in great detail with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The trip began with a warning from Xi about the potential for conflicts over Taiwan.

Trump made the remark while discussing the $14 billion arms package, which includes missiles and air defense interceptors. U.S. administration has held up the package for months. Trump approved an $11 billion tranche late last year, a deal that reportedly led Xi to warn Trump against further arms deliveries to Taiwan in a February call.

Taiwan finally approved the funding earlier this month. It took months for Taiwan's parliament to appropriate $25 billion to proceed with the pending $14 billion package and the $11 billion tranche. The arms sales issue remains sensitive in Taipei even with the pro-autonomy Democratic Progressive Party in power.

U.S. had pledged under the 1982 six assurances policy not to consult with China about arms sales to Taiwan. He dismissed the relevance of that commitment. "What am I going to do, say I don't want to talk to you about it because I have an agreement wrote in 1982?

"I'll be making decisions," Trump said before noting that his priority was to avoid a war. He also said he would have to talk to the person who is running Taiwan about the arms sales issue.

Taiwan's president is Lai Ching-te. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi received a call from Trump from Air Force One. Trump gave Sanae Takaichi a detailed briefing on his talks with Xi. U.S.

Posture. U.S. policy on Taiwan was unchanged. -friendly government in Taipei as well as allies in Japan and South Korea. U.S.

Policy on Taiwan, perhaps to express explicit opposition to Taiwanese independence. Instead, Trump reinforced the idea that Taiwan is a much higher priority for Xi than it is for him. Hawks on Capitol Hill think the way to deter a Chinese move on the self-governing island is to offer Taiwan more muscular support.

U.S. pledges of weapons and political support for Taiwan will only make Beijing more likely to use force. Axios reported the details of the discussions, the history of the arms packages and the calls with allies.