U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue stated that American policy regarding Taiwan has not changed despite recent discussions between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In an interview, Perdue emphasized that President Trump is "fully committed to the One-China policy," while also upholding the Taiwan Relations Act, the three joint communiqués, and the Six Assurances. This reassurance comes after President Xi reportedly urged President Trump to oppose "Taiwan independence" during their meeting.
Perdue specifically addressed concerns about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, stating that President Trump has taken "one of the toughest positions" on the issue. He refuted claims that the U.S. was delaying arms packages to appease China, highlighting that Trump's administration had approved $11 billion in sales, exceeding previous administrations. While a roughly $14 billion arms package remains on hold, Perdue indicated that discussions are ongoing, and Trump sees it as a "very good negotiating chip." He even recounted an instance where Trump directly asked Xi if China would be interested in purchasing American weapons.
The ambassador reiterated that the U.S. position is to seek peace across the Taiwan Strait, oppose coercion, and not support Taiwan's independence. He confirmed that Washington believes President Xi received this message clearly during the summit. These statements aim to clarify the U.S. stance amid heightened scrutiny after the Trump-Xi talks, during which Taiwan was a closely watched, though unaddressed, issue in public remarks.
Taiwanese Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi echoed the sentiment, stating that the U.S. understands Taiwan's defense needs and has provided repeated assurances that its policy remains unchanged. Chen also noted that despite economic challenges, China continues to invest significantly in expanding its military capabilities, underscoring the severe situation in the Taiwan Strait for Taiwan.
