Latest news with #weaponsSales
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
US eyes Taiwan arms sales exceeding US$18.3b to counter China, warns Opposition ‘don't get in the way'
Taiwan weapons sales over coming four years could 'easily' exceed levels in first Trump term US officials ask Taiwan opposition not to oppose defense budget increases Sales could ease worries over Trump's commitment to Taipei WASHINGTON/TAIPEI, May 30 — The United States plans to ramp up weapons sales to Taipei to a level exceeding President Donald Trump's first term as part of an effort to deter China as it intensifies military pressure on the democratic island, according to two US officials. If US arms sales to Taiwan do accelerate, it could ease worries about the extent of Trump's commitment to the island. It would also add new friction to the tense US-China relationship. The US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they expect US approvals for weapons sales to Taipei over the next four years to surpass those in Trump's first term, with one of the officials saying arms sales notifications to Taiwan could 'easily exceed' that earlier period. They also said the United States is pressing members of Taiwan's opposition parties not to oppose the government's efforts to increase defense spending to 3 per cent of the island's economic output. The first Trump administration approved sales of approximately US$18.3 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan, compared with around US$8.4 billion during Joe Biden's term, according to Reuters calculations. The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei. Even so, many in Taiwan, which China claims as its own, worry that Trump may not be as committed to the island as past US presidents. On the election campaign trail, Trump suggested Taiwan should pay to be protected and also accused the island of stealing American semiconductor business, causing alarm in Taipei. China has vowed to 'reunify' with the separately governed island, by force if necessary. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future. The US officials said administration officials and Trump himself were committed to 'enhancing hard deterrence' for Taiwan. 'That's where the president is. That's where all of us are,' one US official said, adding that they were working closely with Taiwan on an arms procurement package to be rolled out when Taiwan secured domestic funding. Taiwan's Presidential Office told Reuters the government is determined to strengthen its self-defense capabilities and pointed to its proposals to increase defense spending. 'Taiwan aims to enhance military deterrence while continuing to deepen its security cooperation with the United States,' Presidential Office spokesperson Wen Lii said. Taiwan's defense ministry declined to comment on any new arms sales, but reiterated previous remarks by the island's defense minister, Wellington Koo, about the importance of 'solidarity and cooperation of democratic allies.' China's foreign ministry reiterated its opposition to US arms sales to Taiwan on Friday, with spokesperson Lin Jian telling reporters that the United States should stop creating 'new factors' that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait. 'Don't get in the way' Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) aim to increase defense spending to 3 per cent of GDP this year through a special defense budget. But the island's parliament, controlled by opposition parties the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), passed budget cuts earlier this year that threatened to hit defense spending. That triggered concerns in Washington, where officials and lawmakers have regularly said the US cannot show more urgency over Taiwan's defense than the island itself. 'We're messaging pretty hard (in Taipei) to the opposition. Don't get in the way of this. This isn't a Taiwanese partisan question. This is a Taiwanese survival question,' one of the US officials told Reuters. Three people in Taiwan with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed that the US government and US congressional visitors have been pressing the opposition parties in Taiwan not to block defense spending, especially the coming special defense budget, which is expected to be proposed to parliament later this year. 'As long as they knew there were people from the opposition in the room, they directly asked them not to cut the defense budget,' one of the people said. Alexander Huang, director of the KMT's international department, told Reuters it was 'beyond question' that the party firmly supports increasing the defense budget and its 'doors are open' to the US government and the ruling DPP for consultations. 'Supporting an increased budget does not mean serving as a rubber stamp, nor does it preclude making adjustments or engaging in negotiations regarding the special budget proposals put forth by the DPP administration,' he added. The much smaller TPP said it has 'always had smooth communication with the US side and has continued to engage in in-depth dialogue on issues such as national defense and regional security.' Reuters reported in February that Taiwan was exploring a multi-billion dollar arms purchase from the US , hoping to win support from the new Trump administration. New weapons packages are expected to focus on missiles, munitions and drones, cost-effective means to help improve Taiwan's chances of rebuffing any military action by China's much larger forces. For years, China has been steadily ramping up its military pressure to assert its sovereignty claims over the island that is home to critical chip manufacturing vital to the global economy. Separately, one of the US officials said the Trump administration would not object to a transit this year through US territory by Lai, whom Beijing labels a 'separatist.' Past visits to the United States by Taiwanese officials have triggered angry objections by China, which sees such trips as inappropriate given that the United States has diplomatic relations with Beijing, not Taipei. Taiwan's presidential office spokesperson Lii said there are currently 'no plans for a presidential transit through the United States at the moment.' — Reuters
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump Aims to Boost Taiwan Arms Sales Further, Reuters Says
(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump is planning to ramp up weapons sales to Taiwan to a level exceeding the pace set during his first term, Reuters reported, a move that risks escalating military tensions with China at a time the two nations are already locked in difficult talks over tariffs. NYC Congestion Toll Brings In $216 Million in First Four Months Now With Colorful Blocks, Tirana's Pyramid Represents a Changing Albania The Economic Benefits of Paying Workers to Move NY Wins Order Against US Funding Freeze in Congestion Fight Why Arid Cities Should Stick Together Two US officials familiar with the matter said they expect US approvals for arms sales to Taipei over the next four years to surpass those in Trump's first term, according to a Reuters report Friday. New weapons packages are expected to focus on missiles, munitions and drones. Trump's first term was marked by 22 military sales notifications for Taiwan valued at $18.65 billion, including backlogged cases and funding for maintenance of existing systems, compared to about $8.7 billion during the Biden administration, according to a 2024 report from the Cato Institute. Washington's move could inflame tensions with Beijing just as bilateral frustration is flaring up again over trade, student visas and access to technology. Beijing considers democratically governed Taiwan to be its territory. Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei declined to comment on the report but said the government has 'repeatedly underscored Taiwan's determination to strengthen its self-defense capabilities.' Taipei would 'also continue to work closely with the US to strengthen regional deterrence and ensure peace, stability, and prosperity in the region,' he said. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said his nation opposes US weapons sales to Taiwan and they should cease. Washington should 'stop creating new factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait,' he added at the regular press briefing in Beijing on Friday. The White House and the State Department didn't immediately reply to a request for comment made outside working hours in the US. The news comes as US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visits Singapore for an annual defense forum where he's set to rally allies and partners to counter China. Beijing is sending a lower-level delegation to the Shangri-La Dialogue, avoiding a potential encounter with Hegseth. US-China relations had been on the mend since both sides reached a temporary trade truce in Geneva earlier this month. But that began to change in recent days, with the US announcing it would start revoking some Chinese student visas. Washington has also introduced new restrictions on the sales of chip design software and reportedly some jet engine parts to China. That came shortly after it sought to block Huawei Technologies Co. from selling advanced AI chips anywhere in the world, prompting an angry rebuke from Beijing. Read: Taiwan Says US Trade-Deal Push Still On Despite Court Ruling US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who helped reach the truce with Beijing officials, said Thursday that trade talks with China are 'a bit stalled' and could benefit from a direct call between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Any arms sales from the US to Taiwan would prompt an outcry from China. In 2019, Beijing protested against the Trump administration's tacit approval for Taiwan to buy dozens of F-16 fighter jets. --With assistance from Jordan Fabian, Derek Wallbank, Colum Murphy and Yian Lee. (Updates with comment from Taiwan's Foreign Ministry.) YouTube Is Swallowing TV Whole, and It's Coming for the Sitcom Mark Zuckerberg Loves MAGA Now. Will MAGA Ever Love Him Back? Millions of Americans Are Obsessed With This Japanese Barbecue Sauce Inside the First Stargate AI Data Center How Coach Handbags Became a Gen Z Status Symbol ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Sign in to access your portfolio
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Trump aims to exceed first term's weapons sales to Taiwan, officials say
The United States plans to ramp up weapons sales to Taipei to a level exceeding President Donald Trump's first term as part of an effort to deter China as it intensifies military pressure on the democratic island, according to two U.S. officials. If U.S. arms sales to Taiwan do accelerate, it could ease worries about the extent of Trump's commitment to the island. It would also add new friction to the tense U.S.-China relationship. The U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they expect U.S. approvals for weapons sales to Taipei over the next four years to surpass those in Trump's first term, with one of the officials saying arms sales notifications to Taiwan could "easily exceed" that earlier period. They also said the United States is pressing members of Taiwan's opposition parties not to oppose the government's efforts to increase defense spending to 3% of the island's budget. The first Trump administration approved sales of approximately $18.3 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan, compared with around $8.4 billion during Joe Biden's term, according to Reuters calculations. The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei. Even so, many in Taiwan, which China claims as its own, worry that Trump may not be as committed to the island as past U.S. presidents. On the election campaign trail, Trump suggested Taiwan should pay to be protected and also accused the island of stealing American semiconductor business, causing alarm in Taipei. China has vowed to "reunify" with the separately governed island, by force if necessary. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future. The U.S. officials said administration officials and Trump himself were committed to "enhancing hard deterrence" for Taiwan. "That's where the president is. That's where all of us are," one U.S. official said, adding that they were working closely with Taiwan on an arms procurement package to be rolled out when Taiwan secured domestic funding. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te visits the Republic of China Military Academy, an officer training academy, for its 100th anniversary celebrations, in Kaohsiung last June. | REUTERS Taiwan's Presidential Office said the government is determined to strengthen its self-defense capabilities and pointed to its proposals to increase defense spending. "Taiwan aims to enhance military deterrence while continuing to deepen its security cooperation with the United States," presidential office spokesperson Wen Lii said. Taiwan's defense ministry declined to comment on any new arms sales, but reiterated previous remarks by the island's defense minister, Wellington Koo, about the importance of "solidarity and cooperation of democratic allies." Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) aim to increase defense spending to 3% of GDP this year through a special defense budget. But the island's parliament, controlled by opposition parties the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), passed budget cuts earlier this year that threatened to hit defense spending. That triggered concerns in Washington, where officials and lawmakers have regularly said the U.S. cannot show more urgency over Taiwan's defense than the island itself. "We're messaging pretty hard (in Taipei) to the opposition. Don't get in the way of this. This isn't a Taiwanese partisan question. This is a Taiwanese survival question," one of the U.S. officials said. Three people in Taiwan with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed that the U.S. government and U.S. congressional visitors have been pressing the opposition parties in Taiwan not to block defense spending, especially the coming special defense budget, which is expected to be proposed to parliament later this year. "As long as they knew there were people from the opposition in the room, they directly asked them not to cut the defense budget," one of the people said. Alexander Huang, director of the KMT's international department, said it was "beyond question" that the party firmly supports increasing the defense budget and its "doors are open" to the U.S. government and the ruling DPP for consultations. "Supporting an increased budget does not mean serving as a rubber stamp, nor does it preclude making adjustments or engaging in negotiations regarding the special budget proposals put forth by the DPP administration," he added. The much smaller TPP said it has "always had smooth communication with the U.S. side and has continued to engage in in-depth dialogue on issues such as national defense and regional security." It was reported in February that Taiwan was exploring a multibillion-dollar arms purchase from the U.S., hoping to win support from the new Trump administration. New weapons packages are expected to focus on missiles, munitions and drones, cost-effective means to help improve Taiwan's chances of rebuffing any military action by China's much larger forces. For years, China has been steadily ramping up its military pressure to assert its sovereignty claims over the island, which is home to critical chip manufacturing vital to the global economy. Separately, one of the U.S. officials said the Trump administration would not object to a transit this year through U.S. territory by Lai, whom Beijing labels a "separatist." Past visits to the United States by Taiwanese officials have triggered angry objections by China, which sees such trips as inappropriate given that the United States has diplomatic relations with Beijing, not Taipei. Taiwan's presidential office spokesperson Lii said there are currently "no plans for a presidential transit through the United States at the moment."
Al Jazeera
16-05-2025
- Business
- Al Jazeera
US senators seek to block Trump's UAE, Qatar defence deals
A group of United States senators is trying to halt $3.5bn in weapons sales to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar over concerns that the deals will personally benefit the family of US President Donald Trump. Two 'resolutions of disapproval' were submitted on Thursday in the US by Democratic Senators Chris Murphy, Chris Van Hollen, Brian Schatz and Tim Kaine, along with Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who often votes with Democrats. The legislators also issued statements accusing President Trump, who is concluding a trip to the Middle East, of actively engaging in the 'corruption of US foreign policy' over the timing of the sales and recent investment deals. The Department of State this week approved the $1.6bn sale to the UAE of Chinook helicopters and equipment, F-16 aircraft components, and spare and repair parts to support Apache, Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters. Initial reporting cited the figure as close to $1.3bn, but the $1.6bn figure was used in a statement from the legislators. The lawmakers are also seeking to block $1.9bn in sales to Qatar of MQ-9B Predator drones and associated equipment, which was approved by the State Department in March. The legislators accuse Trump of accepting favours in exchange for the deals, citing news from April that the Emirati investment firm MGX would use a stablecoin – a cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to another asset – issued by the Trump family-backed World Liberty Financial to finance a $2bn investment in the cryptocurrency exchange Binance. The Trump family is reported to have made millions off niche cryptocurrencies like the $TRUMP 'meme coin' since the president returned to the White House in addition to business dealings, the senators also expressed fears that US weapons sent to the UAE could end up in the hands of Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which is allegedly backed by the UAE and has played a critical role in Sudan's civil war. 'The US should not be delivering weapons to the UAE as it aids and abets this humanitarian disaster and gross human rights violations,' Van Hollen said, citing Sudan's civil war. The senators also cited Qatar's offer of a Boeing 747 jumbo for the president's temporary use as Air Force One. The offer has drawn criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans because it would be the most expensive foreign gift ever exchanged between a foreign government and an elected US official. 'There's nothing Donald Trump loves more than being treated like a king, and that's exactly why foreign governments are trying to buy his favour with a luxury jumbo jet and investments in Trump's crypto scams,' Murphy said in a statement. When asked about the offer of the aircraft, Trump blamed Boeing's lack of progress in building a new Air Force One and said he would be 'stupid' to refuse a free plane. 'It's not a gift to me, it's a gift to the Department of Defense,' he said. It is unclear when a vote will happen on the joint 'resolutions of disapproval', but the US political news outlet The Hill said that due to the nature of the bills, Democrats will likely force them to the floor of the Senate.
