TAIPEI, March 17 (Reuters) – Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo on Tuesday said he believed the U.S.’ internal review process for the sale of a second package of arms to the island is proceeding on schedule.
A major U.S. arms package for Taiwan worth about $14 billion that includes advanced interceptor missiles is ready for President Donald Trump’s approval and could be signed after his upcoming trip to China, Reuters reported last week, citing sources briefed on the discussion.
But on Monday, Trump said he was seeking to delay his visit to China in early April by about a month because of the Iran war.
Asked if the trip’s postponement could impact the new arms sales to Taiwan, Koo said the government had been coordinating closely with the U.S.
“As we understand it, their internal review procedures are proceeding on schedule,” he said. “I don’t think we have received any related information indicating delays.”
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has repeatedly demanded an end to such sales.
Chinese President Xi Jinping told Trump in February that arms sales to Taiwan must be handled with “prudence.”
The U.S., which in December unveiled an $11 billion sale of weapons to Taiwan, has not formally unveiled a second package.
Trump’s moves to secure a favourable trade deal with China have raised concerns among some China watchers that he could curb U.S. military support for Taiwan.
The U.S. has no formal diplomatic ties with Taipei, but is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.
Taiwan, like other allies and partners in the region, has been watching with concern how the shifting of U.S. forces to the Middle East from Asia could impact U.S. readiness to deal with incidents involving China or North Korea, especially with weapons stockpiles being rapidly used in the Iran war.
Koo said he could not comment on U.S. operations and military deployments. But he said Taiwan’s military would continue watching developments around the Taiwan Strait as well as across China as a whole.
“Our main focus remains on observing the relevant indicators and signs and we will continue to pay close attention,” he said.
Speaking on Monday, Huang Wen-chi, head of the ministry’s strategic planning department, told lawmakers that the delivery of 102 Lockheed Martin-made PAC-3 air defence missiles from the U.S. was on track for this year.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Roger Tung; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)
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