US Pauses $14bn Arms Sale to Taiwan Due to Iran War
The United States is temporarily pausing a $14 billion (£10.4 billion) arms sale to Taiwan to ensure sufficient weaponry is available for the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao stated.
Cao made this announcement during a Senate hearing, shortly after President Donald Trump expressed uncertainty about the sale following his discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
A spokesperson from Taiwan's presidential office informed reporters on Friday that they had not received any updates regarding "US adjustments to the arms sale."
Background and Regional Tensions
The sale of US military equipment to Taiwan has long been a contentious issue with Beijing, which claims the self-governed island as part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to assert control.
During the hearing on Thursday, Cao explained the rationale behind the pause:
"Right now we're doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury - which we have plenty,"
He referred to "Epic Fury," the code name for the US-Israel joint military operation in Iran.
"We're just making sure we have everything, but then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary."
When questioned about communications with Taiwanese officials regarding the pause, Cao responded:
"I have not spoken to the Taiwanese."
Details of the Arms Package and Political Context
The $14 billion arms package has awaited President Trump's approval for several months. It includes air defense missiles such as Lockheed Martin's PAC-3 and surface-to-air missile systems, as reported by in March.
President Trump has not yet confirmed whether he will grant final approval. In an interview with Fox News last week, he described the package as "a very good negotiating chip" in dealings with China.
He also indicated he would "make a determination over the next fairly short period" regarding the sale to Taiwan.
These remarks followed a presidential summit in Beijing, where Xi Jinping emphasized to Trump that Taiwan was the most critical issue between the United States and China.
Trump later told reporters that he had discussed US arms sales to Taiwan "in great detail" with Xi, despite a 1982 US assurance to Taiwan that the US would not consult Beijing on such matters.
Additionally, Trump has stated his intention to speak directly with Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te about the sale, a move that would break longstanding diplomatic protocol and is expected to provoke Beijing.
US and Taiwanese leaders have not engaged in direct talks for decades, although Trump did speak with Lai's predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, when he was president-elect.
Chinese Opposition and Taiwan's Response
Beijing strongly opposed a similar $11 billion (£8.2 billion) arms sale to Taiwan approved by the US last December, one of the largest packages ever. At that time, China's foreign ministry warned it would "accelerate the push towards a dangerous and violent situation across the Taiwan Strait."
Taiwan's leader, Lai Ching-te, has underscored the importance of US arms sales as a "key factor in maintaining regional peace and stability."
Under Lai's leadership, Taiwan has significantly increased its defense budget in response to escalating military pressure from China.
