China is delaying a planned visit from a senior Pentagon official while pressuring the United States over a massive $14 billion arms deal with Taiwan, according to a Financial Times report published Thursday.
The Pentagon’s under-secretary of defence for policy, Elbridge Colby, had been in discussions with Chinese officials about a summer trip to Beijing. However, sources familiar with the negotiations told the Financial Times that China has indicated it cannot green-light the visit until President Donald Trump makes a decision about moving forward with the weapons package.
Neither the Pentagon nor China’s foreign ministry immediately provided comment when contacted by Reuters, and the news agency said it could not independently confirm the Financial Times reporting.
Following his recent Beijing trip last week, Trump told media he remains undecided about whether to move ahead with the substantial weapons sale, creating uncertainty around American support for the democratically-run island.
In an unusual step for an American president, Trump announced Wednesday he plans to have a conversation with Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, a move that could strain U.S.-China relations. According to a source briefed on the matter, no call has been arranged yet between the two leaders.
China typically responds with anger to any direct communication between the United States and Taiwan, viewing the island as part of Chinese territory.
While Trump administration officials point out that the president has authorized more Taiwan weapons sales than any previous U.S. leader, Trump has also consistently praised his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping as “amazing.”
Federal law mandates that Washington supply Taiwan with defensive capabilities, and lawmakers from both parties have pushed the Trump administration to move forward with arms sales.
Taiwan’s Defence Minister Wellington Koo expressed being “cautiously optimistic” about future U.S. weapons sales during remarks made Tuesday.
