Influential US Senator: Support for Taiwan's Self-Defense and Arms Sales Ensure Status Quo

Central News Agency (CNA Taipei, 17th) — U.S. President Donald Trump recently stated he would soon make a decision on a $140 billion arms sale to Taiwan, calling it a 'good negotiating chip.' Today, influential U.S. Senator Roger Wicker told a CNA reporter that Taiwan is a prosperous democracy, and U.S. arms sales ensure its ability to maintain the status quo. He also reiterated Congress's support for Taiwan. Following his recent visit to China and meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Donald Trump told the media aboard Air Force One that he 'talked a lot about Taiwan' with Xi Jinping and made no commitments on the issue. Trump added that he would soon decide on the arms sale to Taiwan. In a subsequent interview with Fox News, Trump said he views the pending arms sale as a 'good negotiating chip,' and he might or might not approve it. He also stated he does not want to see Taiwan move toward independence but rather maintain the status quo, and that both China and Taiwan should de-escalate the situation, affirming that U.S. policy has not changed. Trump's recent remarks on Taiwan have drawn attention. Senator Roger Wicker, a fellow Republican and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, stated in a response to reporters today that Trump's core message is simple: the U.S. does not seek war in the Taiwan Strait, and U.S. policy remains unchanged. 'If Xi Jinping tries to change the status quo by force, it will be a disaster for the whole world,' Wicker said. Wicker stated that Taiwan is a prosperous democracy, and 'there is no reason to change that.' U.S. arms sales to Taiwan ensure its ability to maintain this status quo. The current $140 billion arms sale package would surpass the previous record of $110 billion approved by the Trump administration last year. 'Taiwan has not taken provocative actions; it simply wants to buy the best weapons in the world,' he said. He also pointed out that U.S. congressional support for Taiwan is deep, bipartisan, and enduring. 'We have repeatedly expressed our determination to support Taiwan's self-defense.' This includes the Taiwan Relations Act passed by Congress in 1979; a 2016 resolution making the Reagan administration's Six Assurances a cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan policy; and the 2023 'Taiwan Enhanced Resilience Act,' which provides multi-year foreign military financing commitments and authorizes the use of 'Presidential Drawdown Authority.' Last year, Congress passed the 'Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative,' authorizing an additional $1 billion in security assistance for training, capability acquisition, and co-production of armaments. Several other Republican and Democratic members of Congress have also stated that the U.S. should continue to provide weapons to Taiwan. According to foreign media reports, Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said, 'We are always paying attention and have been very clear about U.S. interests. Our position on the Taiwan issue is that they need to maintain their autonomy and security.' Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a leading Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with several other Democratic senators, also issued a statement urging the Trump administration to advance the $140 billion arms sale to Taiwan. (Editor: Tian Jui-hua) 1150517