“US President Donald Trump has refused to approve a $ 400 million weapons package for Taiwan because he is trying to agree on a trade agreement and a potential summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.”, – WRITE: www.pravda.com.ua
Source: The Washington Post
Details: According to five people who are aware of this issue, Trump refused to approve Taiwan’s military assistance worth more than $ 400 million this summer because he is trying to agree on a trade agreement and a potential summit with Xi Jinping.
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The interlocutors of the publication, who communicated on the conditions of anonymity, stated that this decision means a complete reversal in US policy on Taiwan, which China considers its territory.
Two people who were aware of this issue said that the help package cost more than $ 400 million and would be “more deadly” than Taiwan’s previous assistance, including ammunition and autonomous drones.
In his statement, the White House representative noted that the decision on the assistance package has not yet been made. The unofficial Taiwan embassy in Washington refused to comment.
According to representatives of the American Armed Forces and Intelligence, Xi Jinping instructed China’s armed forces to be prepared to capture Taiwan by 2027.
Congress provides the administration with $ 1 billion a year to provide Taiwan’s security assistance, and this amount is abducted at the end of the financial year in September. Baiden’s administration approved a package worth $ 571 million shortly before the expiration of the term of office.
The Trump administration believes that Taiwan, which has a large, prosperous economy, must buy its own weapons, like European countries – this opinion is shared by some Democrats in Congress.
During the meeting of representatives of defense agencies of the United States and Taiwan last month, the parties agreed about a large -scale package of weapons, four people who were aware of negotiations reported.
Taiwan plans to pay for a new batch of weapons, the value of which can be billions of dollars, by adopting an additional bill on defense expenditures, which is now being discussed in the legislative body.
According to these sources, the package will consist almost exclusively of “asymmetrical” equipment such as drones, missiles and sensors to monitor the island’s coast. However, the delivery of this weapon of the new generation may take years. Taibey is already waiting for billions of dollars, including F-16 fighter jets and Harpoon anti-ship.
Taiwan plans to spend 3.3% of his GDP on defense next year, and seeks to increase this figure.
This week, the administration unofficially informed the Congress on the possible sale of Taiwan weapons worth $ 500 million, according to the assistant Congressman, who spoke on the conditions of anonymity. He also refused to clarify which equipment would be purchased.