Taiwan Deputy FM: US arms sales serve American interests, semiconductor supply key

Reuters — A senior Taiwanese diplomat stated on Saturday that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, aimed at protecting the island's freedom and ensuring its semiconductor supply to the world, align with American national interests. The remarks came shortly after the conclusion of a summit between the U.S. and Chinese presidents.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping ended a three-day summit on Friday without major public breakthroughs on a range of contentious issues, including Taiwan. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory. On Thursday in Washington, Xi told Trump he hoped the U.S. would uphold the "correct position" of opposing "Taiwan independence."

Taiwan's Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Chih-chung told reporters in Taipei that it was worth asking whether making concessions on Taiwan truly serves U.S. interests. He said maintaining arms sales, equipping Taiwan with sufficient self-defense capabilities so it does not have to be ruled by China, and "allowing Taiwan's semiconductor industry to continue contributing to the world are all important U.S. interests."

Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's territorial claims, and the island is a major producer of advanced chips that power the artificial intelligence revolution. Trump had said in May, after meeting with Xi, that he would hold off on arms sales to Taiwan. However, he has not commented on Taiwan or pending weapons packages since the Washington summit. Wu said the government has been in "continuous communication" with Washington regarding the summit.

The Trump administration approved a record $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan in December, followed by a second, larger package worth approximately $14 billion. Asked whether further delays to that decision were possible, given that Xi and Trump are expected to meet twice more this year at the APEC and G20 summits, Wu said the government must monitor the situation closely. "Of course, if we can get assurances, that would be best," he added. "I think what we can do now is probably the maximum — to prepare, communicate, and make demands as much as possible."

U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue told CNBC on Friday that Trump's Taiwan policy remains unchanged, including arms sales under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act. "We want peace across the Taiwan Strait. We don't want coercion. We don't support 'Taiwan independence.' We believe President Xi has received that message. President Trump has said he respects and has listened to their arguments," Perdue said.

On Saturday, China's People's Daily reiterated in a commentary that Taiwan is "the core of China's core interests and the first red line that cannot be crossed in U.S.-China relations."

Source: Reuters — https://www.reuters.com/world/china/arming-taiwan-an-important-us-interest-taipei-official-says-after-trump-xi-2026-09-26