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US Senators Urge Trump to 'Stand With Taiwan' Before Xi Talks

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Seven Democratic senators pressed President Trump to hold firm on Taiwan's defense as Xi Jinping visits the US and a $14 billion arms package hangs in limbo.

A group of seven US senators on Tuesday called on President Donald Trump to keep firm on Taiwan's defense and resist Chinese pressure to soften American support, issuing their appeal just before Trump's scheduled talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Washington. All Democrats, the lawmakers warned that Trump must not allow Beijing to gain the upper hand during the visit.

"We can't let President Xi leave stronger than when he arrived. That is not diplomacy, it's weakness," the senators wrote in a joint statement. Xi is in the US until Friday on a trip that includes his first stop in New York in 11 years. According to reports, arms sales to Taiwan, artificial intelligence and the war in Iran are among the topics the two leaders plan to raise.

The statement was signed by Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen, Defense Appropriations ranking member Chris Coons, Appropriations Vice Chairwoman Patty Murray, Armed Services ranking member Jack Reed, Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner, Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim.

The senators described Beijing as a rising danger, saying "the People's Republic of China presents a greater threat to American security and prosperity than ever before." They pushed Trump to cut off China's access to advanced chips and manufacturing gear, to demand that Beijing stop backing Russian President Vladimir Putin's campaign in Ukraine, and to challenge Xi over Chinese support for Iran.

They also faulted the administration's approach to Taipei directly. "The Chinese military continues its pressure campaign against our vital democratic partner Taiwan as President Trump has retreated from longstanding security commitments," the statement said.

The $14 billion package on hold

The timing matters because of two weapons deals. In December last year, Trump signed off on an $11 billion package for Taiwan, the biggest single approval on record. But after a trip to Beijing in May, he said a further $14 billion in sales had been paused. Xi is expected to lean on Trump to shelve the deals entirely during their meeting this week.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense signaled it intends to keep the sales moving. Deputy spokesman Chiao Fu-chun (喬福駿), speaking to reporters in Tainan during a media tour, said Taipei would stay in regular touch with Washington to carry out the transfers as scheduled. He framed regional security as a shared goal, calling stability in the Indo-Pacific a "common interest of democratic nations."

"The US government and Congress have repeatedly expressed their support for Taiwan's ability to defend itself," Chiao said. "We will continue to maintain close contact with the US Department of Defense and continue to promote the implementation of arms sales according to plan."

President William Lai (賴清德) has backed Trump's demand that US partners raise their own defense spending. The US remains Taiwan's leading source of weapons, though the island also builds its own hardware, including submarines, fighter aircraft and long-range missiles.

At the State Department, Chinese-language spokesman Jakob Lengacher told Voice of America that US policy toward Taiwan had not shifted. He said Washington still backs Taiwan's participation in international bodies such as APEC, opposes any one-sided move to alter the "status quo" by either side of the Taiwan Strait, and remains focused on keeping the region peaceful and stable.

A Coast Guard vessel bound for Manila

In a separate development, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said its vessels will sail to the Philippines in October next year, marking the first time a Taiwanese maritime law enforcement ship has made such a visit. The ships will carry the words "Taiwan Coast Guard" during the trip.

The agency also confirmed it had handed over one of its retired patrol boats to the Philippines, an unusual transfer of a decommissioned vessel to a country with which Taiwan has no formal diplomatic ties. An official noted that the CGA's civilian, non-combat character makes it useful for managing sensitive situations without triggering diplomatic friction.

The planned voyage stands out against a long gap in such contact. The last time a Republic of China navy ship made a comparable visit to the Philippines was in 1974, shortly before Manila severed official relations with Taipei.

Taiwan arms sales, US senators Taiwan, Trump Xi Jinping meeting, Taiwan defense, China Taiwan tensions, Coast Guard Administration Philippines, William Lai, US Taiwan policy

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