Taiwan’s president said Thursday he hoped the United States would approve a $14 billion arms sale “as soon as possible”, reiterating that the democratic island “rejects unification” with China.
Taipei relies heavily on Washington’s support to counter growing pressure from Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out seizing it by force.
“We hope that the arms purchases can be approved as soon as possible,” President Lai Ching-te told reporters in Taipei.
“Taiwan’s efforts to safeguard its national security, uphold its democratic and free way of life, and reject unification and the rule of the Chinese Communist Party should not be seen as a provocation against China or a troublemaker in the region,” he said.
The United States formally recognizes only China, but is bound by domestic law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, a frequent source of tension between Washington and Beijing.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this month the proposed $14 billion package was “under review”, while officials said in May they were assessing whether American weapons stockpiles were sufficient for its Iran operations. AFP
