US Scholars: Trump's Remarks Could Escalate Risks; Arms Sales to Taiwan Help Avoid Conflict

Washington, May 16 (CNA) - After former U.S. President Donald Trump stated he would soon decide on a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan and called it a 'good bargaining chip,' U.S. scholars pointed out today that Trump's remarks could escalate risks. They argued that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan help prevent conflict, not provoke it, and that Taiwan should never be treated as a bargaining chip. Following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump mentioned in an interview that they 'talked a lot about Taiwan' and that he would decide on the arms sale soon. Bonnie Glaser, director of the Indo-Pacific Program at the German Marshall Fund, stated that Trump's view on Taiwan might be influenced by Xi's narrative and that providing weapons to Taiwan helps deter conflict. Ryan Hass, a China expert at the Brookings Institution, wrote that Trump's comments put him at odds with most U.S. experts who see the root of rising cross-strait tensions as China's persistent pressure on Taiwan. Hass argued that Trump's willingness to negotiate the U.S. position on Taiwan escalates, rather than reduces, the risk of conflict. He concluded that the way to lower conflict risk is to maintain a firm focus on preserving peace and stability, which requires strengthening deterrence.