WASHINGTON (AP) — Taiwan’s highest-ranking diplomat in the United States says the island must be able to buy American weapons to protect itself, as the threat from Beijing continues to grow. He also said he has seen no shift in Washington’s stance toward Taiwan, the self-governing island that China insists belongs to it.
A proposed $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan remains on hold after President Donald Trump returned from Beijing in May and revealed he had discussed the package “in great detail” with Chinese leader Xi Jinping — a disclosure that rattled officials in Taiwan and sparked concern among members of Congress.
“We need those arms for defensive purposes,” said Alexander Yui Tah-ray, who leads the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States, during a Wednesday interview in Washington with The Associated Press. “We’re trying to increase our defense expenditure. We try to increase our ability to defend ourselves better and survive times of crisis.”
Despite receiving approval from senior lawmakers earlier this year, the Trump administration has not moved ahead with the $14 billion weapons proposal. Trump himself has referred to the sale as a “very good negotiating chip” in dealings with China.
Under U.S. law, Washington is required to supply Taiwan with enough military equipment to deter Chinese aggression. China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and has vowed to take control of the island by force if needed, calling it part of an unfinished unification process. Beijing has consistently opposed American weapons sales to Taiwan, which has never been governed by China’s communist leadership.
Yui made clear that Taiwan understands it bears the primary responsibility for its own defense.
“This is our responsibility, so we will not wait and depend for the U.S. cavalry to come and save us,” he said. “That’s why we’re willing to acquire, to buy U.S. equipment and arms to make ourselves stronger.”
He added that any weapons transfers must be “commensurate” with the threat level, which he described as “actually pretty high” coming from China.
“First and foremost, we’re not the aggressors. It is the People’s Republic of China who is sending all the planes and ships,” Yui said. “They’re the ones huffing and puffing. They are the ones who’s trying to annihilate our freedom and democracy in Taiwan.”
Chinese warships and military aircraft approach Taiwan on nearly a daily basis, and Beijing has staged large-scale military exercises around the island in recent years. China views Taiwan as a core national interest and has blamed advocates of Taiwanese independence for stirring up instability in the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese Embassy in Washington had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.
Yui emphasized that the U.S. position on Taiwan has not changed and said Taiwan’s government respects the Trump administration’s pace in making policy announcements.
The proposed arms sale enjoys strong backing in Congress. Lawmakers raised the issue with Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a recent hearing this month. Rubio confirmed that U.S. policy on Taiwan remains unchanged and stated that Washington does not “consult with the Chinese on these arms deals.”
“We’re aware of their position. They talk about it all the time,” Rubio said of Beijing. “They are not negotiated, and they are not consulted.”
Rubio characterized the arms package not as blocked, but as under review, noting that other factors must be considered — including the current state of American weapons stockpiles, which have been reduced during the Iran war. “We have to balance that with our own procurement process,” he said.
Separately, the administration did approve an $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan in December, which included high-mobility artillery rocket systems, known as HIMARS, as well as howitzers.
Yui came to Washington in late 2023 during the Biden administration. Former President Biden had stated on multiple occasions that he would deploy U.S. troops to Taiwan’s defense if China launched an attack.
Yui is now working within the more unpredictable environment of the second Trump administration, which has taken a softer tone toward Beijing following a heated trade conflict defined by escalating tariffs on both sides.
While Trump drew attention by setting aside a Reagan-era commitment against prior consultation with Beijing on Taiwan arms sales, he also suggested he could place a direct call to Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te — something no sitting U.S. president has done, breaking a longstanding diplomatic tradition.
The Pentagon’s national defense strategy, released in January, stated that the U.S. aims to deter China through strength rather than confrontation. It outlined plans to maintain a strong defensive presence along a chain of strategic islands — including Taiwan — to prevent China from extending its reach into the broader Pacific.
Yui attributed what might appear to be contradictory signals to Trump’s unconventional approach, while voicing confidence in the overall Taiwan-U.S. relationship.
“It’s important to look at the actions, what is happening, not just the rhetoric,” Yui said. “The big stick is still there.”
