By AFP | 2026-05-18

TAIPEI -- Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said that Taiwan will never be "traded away" as he pressed the United States to keep selling weapons to the island democracy to maintain regional peace.

Lai's comments came on May 17 after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested arms sales to Taiwan could be used as a bargaining chip with China, which claims the island is part of its territory and has threatened to seize it by force.

Trump wrapped up a state visit to Beijing on May 15, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping pushed him not to support Taiwan. It depends heavily on U.S. security backing to deter a potential Chinese attack.

"The United States' continued arms sales to Taiwan and deepening of Taiwan-U.S. security cooperation are not only necessary but also key elements in maintaining regional peace and stability," Lai said in a statement on Facebook.

Taiwan, a global powerhouse in artificial intelligence technology and semiconductor chip manufacturing, is at the "core" of global interests and "will never be sacrificed or traded away," said Lai.

U.S. backing

The United States recognizes only Beijing but under its own Taiwan Relations Act is required to provide weapons to Taiwan for its defense. It has remained ambiguous on whether U.S. forces would come to the island's aid.

It does not support formal independence by Taiwan but historically has stopped short of explicitly saying it opposes independence.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he thought Lai's statement was a "reasonable thing for the leader there to say."

"China cannot just go take over land, and we're going to stand strong, and the Congress will," Johnson told Fox News.

Taiwan's parliament recently approved a $25 billion defense spending bill that will be used for U.S. weapons.

Lawmakers have said the funds will cover nearly $9 billion of the $11.1 billion arms package announced by Washington in December and a second phase of arms sales -- not yet approved by the United States -- worth more than $15 billion.

Trump has said he is still considering the arms sales and will decide "over the next fairly short period of time."

Taiwan's Presidential Office cited repeated reassurances from Washington that longstanding U.S. policy toward Taiwan remained unchanged.

"Taiwan looks forward to continuing to work with the U.S. under the firm commitments of the Taiwan Relations Act," spokeswoman Karen Kuo said in a statement.

Status quo

"We're not looking to have wars, and if you kept it the way it is, I think China's going to be OK with that," Trump told Fox News in an interview.

Lai called China the "root cause of regional instability" and said Taiwan would neither "provoke or escalate conflicts" nor yield its "democratic and free way of life" under pressure.

"It is the status quo we seek to defend; there is no so-called 'Taiwan independence' issue," said Lai, who considers the island already independent, making a declaration unnecessary.

Xi opened the Beijing summit with a warning on Taiwan. Mishandling the issue could lead to "conflict," he said.