Why Trump’s visit to Beijing has Taiwan on edge about US arms sales

Taipei fears US leader’s transactional approach to diplomacy could turn the island into a bargaining chip for a broader Sino-American deal Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said arms sales to Taiwan would be among the issues discussed with Xi, who has long opposed Washington’s military support for the island. The remarks immediately reignited debate in Taiwan over whether Trump’s transactional approach to diplomacy could undermine the “Six Assurances” – long-standing US commitments that Washington would not consult Beijing in advance on arms sales to Taiwan. On Tuesday, Taiwanese foreign ministry spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei said the island was “closely monitoring US-China interactions and maintaining close communication with Washington” to safeguard its interests.

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