President Trump’s willingness to delay a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan benefits Beijing. Now, China is likely assessing how to maintain the delay as long as possible.
During a visit to Beijing, President Trump announced his decision to postpone the arms deal. This decision plays into Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s strategy to weaken Taiwan’s government.
On Monday, Chinese state media leveraged Trump’s comments to communicate to domestic and Taiwanese audiences that the United States might not support Taiwan, a democratic island that China claims as part of its territory.
The Global Times, a Chinese newspaper, reported that Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te and his Democratic Progressive Party cannot expect ‘unconditional indulgence’ from the United States anymore. This message came after Col. Jiang Bin, China’s Ministry of National Defense spokesperson, warned Taiwan that security cannot be purchased through military deals and cautioned against becoming a ‘pawn’.
The American president made his remarks public after leaving a summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing. Trump revealed he was holding off on approving the arms package to Taiwan, calling it a ‘very good negotiating chip’ with China, although his specific demands from China were unclear.
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