Taiwan worried after Trump's hesitations on US arms sales

Taiwan reaffirmed on Saturday the crucial importance of US arms sales following the president's remarks Donald Trumpwhich indicated it had not yet decided whether it would authorize new military contracts with the island. This position has reignited questions about the level of Washington's commitment to Taipei in the face of increasing pressure from China.

After a summit with the Chinese president Xi Jinping In Beijing, Donald Trump stated on Friday that he remained undecided regarding a major arms sale to Taiwan. These remarks immediately sparked concerns in Taipei, where authorities consider American military support essential to the island's security.

In a statement, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's spokesperson, Karen Kuo, insisted that US arms deliveries were based on US law and constituted a key element of regional deterrence. She also accused China of being the "sole destabilizing factor" in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly around the Taiwan Strait.

Despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations between Washington and Taipei, the United States remains Taiwan's primary arms supplier. Under the Taiwan Relations Act, passed by the US Congress, Washington is legally obligated to assist the island in its defense.

China considers Taiwan an integral part of its territory and does not rule out the use of force to regain control of the island. Beijing strongly opposes US arms sales and regularly denounces any military cooperation between Washington and Taipei.

In recent years, military tensions in the Taiwan Strait have escalated sharply, with a surge in Chinese military exercises and air incursions around the island. In this context, any ambiguity in the United States regarding military support for Taiwan is closely monitored by Taiwanese authorities and US regional allies.

Donald Trump's statements come at a particularly sensitive time, as relations between Washington and Beijing remain marked by growing strategic rivalry on military, trade and geopolitical issues in the Asia-Pacific region.