Taiwan expects the Trump administration to maintain its support, including the provision of advanced US weaponry, to help the island defend itself against potential aggression from China, a senior Taiwanese official stated Monday, as per Bloomberg.
“We need the US support to sell us the most advanced weapons, and also to help train our soldiers and they are doing that,” said Szu-chien Hsu, Deputy Secretary General of Taiwan’s National Security Council and advisor to the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy.
Hsu’s comments come at a time when President Trump’s policies have strained global alliances, raising questions about US support for its long-standing partners. Despite this, Taiwan appears to be counting on continued security cooperation with the US.
Following Washington’s deteriorating relations with Kyiv and warming ties with Moscow, Taiwan has also been reassessing its relationship with the US Some Taiwanese officials have suggested the island cannot rely solely on others to maintain peace.
Beijing claims Taiwan as a part of its territory and has long maintained a policy to bring the self-governing island under mainland control, even by force if necessary.
The US’s de-facto ambassador to Taiwan has stated that Washington is working to expedite arms shipments to the island territory. While the flow of American military hardware to Taiwan has slowed in recent years due to US controversial aid to Ukraine, Taiwan remains heavily reliant on US military aid to defend against any potential conflict with China.
Hsu asserted that any Chinese amphibious attack across the Taiwan Strait would likely be unsuccessful, citing the island’s missile defense systems designed to protect its beaches. He also noted China’s desire to be recognized as a global power capable of competing with the US, as evidenced by its recent military exercises off the coast of Australia.
Hsu emphasized that security cooperation between Taipei and Washington has grown in recent years. He further stated that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are “very pertinent to the core national interest of US in this region.”
In other news, Hsu expressed Taiwan’s interest in initiating trade talks with India, highlighting that the South Asian nation’s high tariffs pose a significant obstacle for Taiwanese businesses. India currently has some of the world’s highest import duties, although it has recently begun reducing some of these tariffs in response to US threats to impose reciprocal duties worldwide starting in April.
