The United States has postponed approval of $400 million in military aid to Taiwan as President Donald Trump seeks to reach trade agreements with Beijing and arrange a personal meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This was reported by The Washington Post, citing sources in the administration.
According to the publication, the frozen aid package was to provide Taipei with ammunition and autonomous drones, with deliveries planned for the summer of 2025.
The White House stressed that no final decision on the supplies has been made yet. However, as noted by WP, some American officials believe that Taiwan should purchase weapons directly from the US rather than rely on military support programmes.
According to The Washington Post, the Trump administration has generally softened its stance towards China. The White House’s top goal is to reach a complete trade agreement with Beijing, which could be one of the biggest diplomatic wins of Trump in the history of his negotiations with key economic partners.
Historically, China has considered Taiwan a part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to gain control over the island. The Chinese authorities have repeatedly stated that any arms supplies to Taipei from the US and other countries are unacceptable.
Experts estimate that the economic consequences of a possible conflict would be catastrophic. According to a Bloomberg analysis presented in 2024, an armed attack by the PRC on Taiwan would lead to a 10% drop in global GDP and provoke a direct military confrontation between China and the US.
