Taiwan Arms Deal on Track Despite U.S.-China Summit Uncertainty

Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo confirmed Thursday that the next major U.S. arms sale to the island remains on schedule, revealing that Taipei has already received a formal letter of guarantee from Washington signaling its commitment to proceed with the deal.

The announcement comes amid rising diplomatic tension as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares for a high-stakes visit to Beijing on May 14–15 to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. A sweeping $14 billion arms package for Taiwan — which reportedly includes advanced interceptor missiles — is currently awaiting Trump's final approval and could be signed following his China trip, according to Reuters sources familiar with the discussions. Trump's original April visit was postponed due to the ongoing Iran conflict.

China, which considers Taiwan part of its sovereign territory, has intensified pressure on Washington to halt all weapons transfers to the self-governed island. Xi reportedly urged Trump last month to handle Taiwan arms sales with extreme caution. Beijing has long demanded an end to U.S. military support for Taipei, and the issue is expected to dominate the upcoming summit agenda.

Despite these geopolitical headwinds, Minister Koo stated that Taiwan has maintained close coordination with the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency and has received no notification of delays. The package continues to undergo internal review within the American government.

The U.S. remains Taiwan's most critical defense partner and weapons supplier, bound by domestic law to equip the island with adequate means of self-defense — even without formal diplomatic ties between the two sides. The previous arms deal, finalized in December, was valued at $11 billion, marking the largest single sale to Taiwan on record.

Taiwan has faced escalating Chinese military pressure in recent years, including large-scale naval and air force exercises near its coastline.