Key Facts

• President Trump expressed hesitation about a U.S. arms sale to Taiwan after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
• Taiwan quickly responded with a statement from its foreign affairs ministry.
• Taiwan reminded the public and the world about the U.S.’s long-standing policy of selling arms to Taiwan.
• The statement aimed to reinforce the stability and continuation of U.S.-Taiwan relations.
• The timing came soon after two days of high-level meetings between the U.S. and China.
• Arms sales to Taiwan are a sensitive issue given China’s opposition to these transactions.
• Taiwan’s government uses such statements to maintain confidence in international support.
• The situation reflects ongoing tensions in U.S.-China-Taiwan relations regarding security and diplomacy.