Despite soaring mainland China tensions, no immediate changes expected to Washington’s Taiwan weapons policy
- White House official said arms sales designed to meet Taiwan’s ‘evolving security circumstances’
- Biden administration’s approach to new approvals too restrictive, said critics
US President Joe Biden’s administration and US lawmakers have stressed their ongoing support for the government in Taipei, and there are items in the approval pipeline for Taiwan that could be announced in the coming weeks or months.
But the focus will be on sustaining Taiwan’s current military systems and fulfilling existing orders – rather than offering new capabilities more likely to inflame already red-hot tensions with China, according to three sources who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
“I think there will be an attempt to push stuff to Taiwan, and not just weapons. Supplies, should there – God forbid – be an embargo. More munitions. Lower-level stuff,” said one source close to political-level talks on US-Taiwan arms sales.