US Pauses £10.4 Billion Taiwan Arms Sale Amidst Iran War Demands
The United States has paused a $14 billion (£10.4 billion) arms sale to Taiwan to redirect military resources towards the US-Israel joint military operation in Iran, codenamed 'Epic Fury'. This was confirmed by US acting Navy secretary Hung Cao during a Senate hearing on Thursday.
Mr Cao stated, "Right now we're doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury - which we have plenty." He further added, "We're just making sure we have everything, but then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary."
A spokesperson for Taiwan's presidential office indicated on Friday that they had not received any official information regarding "US adjustments to the arms sale."
The suspension follows President Donald Trump's non-committal stance on approving the package, last week characterising it as "a very good negotiating chip" with China. Mr Trump also stated he would "make a determination over the next fairly short period" and indicated he would speak directly to Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te about the sale. Such direct communication would represent a notable departure from decades of diplomatic tradition and would likely provoke a strong reaction from Beijing.
China considers the self-governed island of Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to assert its claim. Previous US arms sales to Taiwan have consistently drawn vehement opposition from Beijing, which had lodged a formal complaint last December following a $11 billion (£8.2 billion) US arms approval. Taiwan's leader, Lai Ching-te, has previously asserted that US arms sales are a "key factor in maintaining regional peace and stability" and has increased Taiwan's defence spending in response to perceived military pressure from China.
