President Donald Trump said Friday he will decide on the legality of U.S. arms exports to Taiwan in the near future [1].
The decision follows a two-day summit [1] in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the two leaders focused on reducing tensions in the Taiwan Strait. The outcome of this decision could shift the military balance in the region and affect the diplomatic relationship between Washington and Beijing.
Speaking from Air Force One while returning to the U.S., Trump said he and Xi discussed the Taiwan issue extensively [1]. He said that Xi does not want a conflict over Taiwanese independence because such a clash would be extremely violent [1].
Trump said he would make a determination on the weapon exports soon [1]. This deliberative approach comes as the administration weighs current U.S. policy against the need to maintain regional stability.
During the discussions, the historical context of U.S.-Taiwan relations was referenced, including the 1982 [1] communications from the Reagan administration. This includes the "six assurances" [1] provided to Taiwan, which serve as a framework for U.S. security commitments in the area.
Trump said to reporters via telephone from the presidential aircraft following the conclusion of the summit [2]. He did not provide a specific date for the final decision on the arms transfers, only stating that it would happen in the near future [1].
“"I talked with President Xi a lot about Taiwan. He does not want a conflict over Taiwan independence."”
The U.S. is balancing its long-standing security commitments to Taiwan, specifically the six assurances from 1982, against a desire to avoid a direct military confrontation with China. By delaying the decision on arms exports until after a direct summit with President Xi, the Trump administration is using military aid as a diplomatic lever to gauge China's willingness to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.
