Taiwan receives U.S. assurances on unchanged defense policy

Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Ku stated that Washington has provided assurances that U.S. policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged following a high-level meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Despite the lack of official diplomatic ties, the United States remains Taiwan's most significant international supporter and arms supplier. Minister Ku noted that the Taiwanese government has received multiple clarifications from the U.S. side regarding the continuity of its political stance.

Regarding military procurement, Ku confirmed that continuous discussions are underway with the U.S. for ongoing contracts. While China has repeatedly called for an end to arms sales to Taiwan, and President Trump previously mentioned a potential suspension of a $14 billion arms package in May, no changes to current procurement processes have been reported to Taipei.

Taiwan continues to manage a backlog of weapon orders. This includes a 2019 order for 66 F-16V fighter jets equipped with advanced avionics and radar systems from Lockheed Martin. Local media reports indicate that the first two aircraft of this model have arrived in Hawaii and are awaiting imminent delivery to Taiwan.