Taiwan’s Lai Seeks Continued US Arms Support Amid Trump Uncertainty and China Pressure

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has renewed calls for continued American military support, saying he would urge US President Donald Trump to maintain arms sales to Taiwan, which he described as critical to preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Marking the second anniversary of his presidency, Lai said Taiwan’s growing defence budget and continued purchases of US weapons were necessary responses to increasing military pressure from China. Stressing that “only strength can bring peace,” Lai accused Beijing of being the “destroyer” of stability in the Taiwan Strait and declared that “no country has the right to annex Taiwan.”

The remarks come amid rising uncertainty over Washington’s commitment after Trump recently described a proposed USD 14 billion arms package for Taiwan as a “very good negotiating chip” in negotiations with China. Trump had earlier approved a record USD 11 billion defence package that included missiles, drones, artillery systems and military software. His comments sparked concern in Taiwan that the island’s security could become part of broader US-China bargaining.

Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo later said Taipei remained “cautiously optimistic” that the United States would continue arms sales under the Taiwan Relations Act. Analysts and lawmakers in both Taiwan and the US have warned that any ambiguity from Washington could embolden Beijing and undermine regional stability.

During his recent Beijing summit with Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly warned that the Taiwan issue could lead to “clashes and even conflicts” between the world’s two biggest powers if mishandled. Chinese state media later seized on Trump’s remarks, claiming they had weakened Taiwan’s pro-independence leadership.

Lai insisted that Taiwan’s future cannot be decided by external forces and reaffirmed that the island would not surrender its democratic system under pressure. While expressing willingness to engage in dialogue with Beijing on equal terms, he rejected attempts to portray unification as peace.

The Taiwanese president also unveiled a USD 3.1 billion economic modernisation plan aimed at helping traditional industries and small businesses adapt to the island’s rapidly expanding artificial intelligence and semiconductor sectors.