China renewed its strong opposition to US arms sales to Taiwan on Wednesday, urging Washington to honour its commitments as President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing for a two-day summit with President Xi Jinping.
Taiwan’s status sits at the heart of this week’s talks, as the US is legally required to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties. In December, the Trump administration announced an $11 billion weapons package for Taipei, the largest ever.
Zhang Han, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, was unambiguous. “We firmly oppose the United States engaging in any form of military ties with China’s Taiwan region, and firmly oppose the United States selling weapons to China’s Taiwan region. This position is consistent and unequivocal,” she said.
Budget Cut Hands Beijing a Potential Lever
Moreover, Trump’s visit comes less than a week after Taiwan’s opposition-controlled parliament approved only two-thirds of a $40 billion defence budget that President Lai Ching-te had sought. A senior US official expressed disappointment, while a senior Taiwan security official warned Reuters that Beijing could exploit the shortfall, arguing that Taiwan’s own legislature opposes arms purchases, to persuade Trump to reduce defence support for the island.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported in March that Washington could approve a second arms package worth roughly $14 billion after Trump’s return, though its current status remains unclear.
On Tuesday, Lai told the Copenhagen Democracy Summit that Taiwan is a “sovereign, independent nation” that will not bow to pressure. Zhang rejected that framing directly. “Our resolve to oppose Taiwan independence is as firm as a rock,” she said.
