Taiwan expects continued US arms sales despite Xi-Trump talks pressure

Taiwan expects continued U.S. arms sales during Xi Jinping's Washington visit, despite Chinese pressure to halt military support for the island Beijing claims as its own. Taiwanese Defence Ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Chiao Fu-chun said Taiwan maintains close contact with the U.S. and will push arms procurement forward. The U.S. paused a $14 billion package after a May Xi-Trump summit, where Trump called arms sales a "negotiating chip," but approved an $11 billion package in December. Taiwan conducted live-fire drills Wednesday featuring a domestically developed armored vehicle called The Cheetah, highlighting self-defense efforts. President Lai Ching-te plans to raise Taiwan's defense budget above 3% of GDP by 2027 and to 5% by 2030.