China stalls Pentagon under‑secretary’s Beijing trip pending US decision on $14 billion Taiwan arms sale

Beijing has signaled that it will not approve a planned summer visit by Pentagon under‑secretary for policy Elbridge Colby until President Donald Trump decides whether to proceed with a $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan. The United States has not yet announced a decision, and Trump said he is considering a call with Taiwan’s President Lai Ching‑te, a move that would further strain U.S.–China ties. Under U.S. law, arms sales to Taiwan are required, and both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have urged the administration to continue the deal. Taiwan’s defence minister Wellington Koo described the prospect as “cautiously optimistic.” The Pentagon and China’s foreign ministry did not comment at the time of reporting.