Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said Wednesday he will tell U.S. President Donald Trump that he hopes Taiwan can keep buying American weapons, casting the sales as essential to peace as his administration marks two years in office. Lai said Taiwan's rising defense budget is a response to threats, not a provocation, and argued that only strength can bring peace.
Lai said peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are crucial to global security and accused China of being the destroyer of that peace. He said no country has the right to annex Taiwan and added that democracy and freedom should not be seen as provocation. He also said he wants more cooperation with the United States and other democratic countries to promote peace in the strait, while leaving open the door to healthy and orderly exchanges with China under the principles of equality and dignity.
The remarks came as Taipei tries to steady support in Washington after Trump raised questions about Taiwan in recent comments and after he approved a record-breaking $11 billion arms package to the island in December. Trump later said in a interview that a new $14 billion package would depend on China, calling the deal a very good negotiating chip, before saying he needed to talk to the person who is running Taiwan. The United States has formal diplomatic ties with China, not Taiwan.
Lai's comments also landed against a sharp warning from Beijing. Xi Jinping told Trump during their Beijing summit last week that "the Taiwan question" is the most important issue in ties between China and the United States and warned the two countries could "have clashes and even conflicts" if it is not handled properly. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said opposition to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan is clear and urged Washington to abide by the One China principle, saying attempts to seek independence with foreign support or military means are "ultimately nothing but wishful thinking." Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua went further, saying Lai's remarks were "filled with lies, deception, hostility and confrontation" and accusing him of pretending to be sincere while talking about cross-strait dialogue.
The exchange shows how little room remains for compromise. Taiwan is under growing pressure from China, which claims the island as a breakaway province to be retaken by force if necessary, and every new U.S. arms decision now carries both military and political weight. Lai is betting that a tougher defense posture will reassure Washington and deter Beijing at the same time. Whether Trump treats Taiwan as a partner to be armed or a bargaining chip to be traded may decide how far that bet goes.
