Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Wednesday that if given the chance he would tell U.S. President Donald Trump of his hope to continue US arms purchases, which Lai called essential for peace, while offering assurances that the island’s future would not be decided by external forces.
Lai is marking two years in office, the halfway point of his term, under growing pressure from China, which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province to be retaken by force if necessary. Trump’s recent narrative on Taiwan also raised concerns about US traditional support for the island even without formal diplomatic ties.
Lai said if he could talk to Trump, he would emphasise that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait was crucial for global security.
Lai said he also would tell Trump that Taiwan’s increasing defense budget was a response to threats and purchases of US arms would be an essential means to safeguard the strait’s stability. Lai said he believes “only strength can bring peace.”
“No country has the right to annex Taiwan,” Lai said he would tell Trump at the news briefing. “Democracy and freedom should also not be seen as provocation.”
Lai looks forward to more co-operation between Taiwan and the US and other democratic countries in promoting peace in the strait, he added.
Chinese President Xi Jinping last week issued a strong warning to the US, telling Trump during their Beijing summit that the “Taiwan question” is the most important issue in ties between China and the US and the two nations will “have clashes and even conflicts” without proper handling.
Trump in December approved a record-breaking, $11 billion arms package to Taiwan. In an interview aired Friday on Fox News as the US president wrapped up his visit to China, Trump said his approval of a new $14 billion arms package to Taiwan depended on China, describing the deal as “a very good negotiating chip.”
Trump and Lai holding talks likely would anger China, which has formal diplomatic ties with the US and typically responds strongly to Taiwan visits by US politicians.
In his speech Wednesday, Lai said democracy is not a gift from the sky.
“Taiwan’s future cannot be decided by external forces, nor can it be held hostage by fear, division, or short-term interests,” he said, without specifying who the external forces are.
