Taiwan’s defense minister is confident that the $14 billion arms deal with the United States will continue as planned after the U.S. sent a letter of guarantee confirming its readiness, despite President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit to Beijing this May.
Wellington Koo, Taiwan’s Minister of National Defense, provided an update on the arms purchase from the United States, affirming that the latest procurement plan remains on schedule after Taiwan received the "Letter of Guarantee" from the U.S., even as the American and Chinese leaders prepare for a significant meeting in the upcoming May.
Reports indicate that the major arms acquisition Taiwan is preparing includes advanced military equipment, particularly advanced interceptor missiles, with a total value reaching $14 billion U.S. dollars (approximately 458 billion Thai baht). The deal is expected to be presented for President Donald Trump’s signature immediately after his trip to China. However, Trump has postponed his meeting with Xi Jinping from early April to 14-15 May due to the ongoing tensions in the Iran conflict.
The Taiwan issue is a highly sensitive topic in negotiations between the two superpowers, especially after Chinese President Xi Jinping directly contacted President Trump last month, warning the U.S. to handle arms sales to Taiwan with "caution."
When asked by the media whether the upcoming meeting between the two leaders might disrupt the arms deal, Taiwan’s defense minister revealed that Taiwan has officially received the "Letter of Guarantee" from the U.S., which confirms the U.S. commitment to approve the agreement.
The arms shipment is currently undergoing U.S. review, and Taiwan emphasizes that there are no signs of delay. Previously, in December, the U.S. completed an $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan, the highest value ever recorded, despite repeated Chinese demands that the U.S. stop selling arms to Taiwan.
,,