Taiwan must continue purchasing US weapons to strengthen its self-defense capabilities in the face of escalating military pressure from China, Taipei’s top envoy to Washington said, while noting that official US policy toward the island remains unchanged.

Alexander Yui Tah-ray, head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States, emphasized that Taiwan is deeply focused on boosting its defense spending and military readiness.

“We need those arms for defensive purposes,” Yui told The Associated Press in an interview in Washington on Wednesday.

“We’re trying to increase our defense expenditure. We try to increase our ability to defend ourselves better and survive times of crisis.”

The envoy's comments come at a time of uncertainty in Taipei, as a proposed USD 14 billion US arms package for Taiwan remains under review.

This issue gained heightened attention after US President Donald Trump, following a visit to Beijing in May, stated that he had discussed the arms deal in detail with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The Trump administration has yet to advance the package, which had previously received approval from senior lawmakers, and Trump has described the deal as a potential “very good negotiating chip” in dealings with China.

Under US law, Washington is required to provide Taiwan with sufficient defense equipment to deter any aggression from China, which considers the self-governed island part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to achieve unification.

China has consistently opposed US arms sales to Taiwan, an island that has never been governed by Beijing.

Addressing the security dynamic, Yui made it clear that Taiwan cannot rely on outside support alone. “This is our responsibility, so we will not wait and depend on the US cavalry to come and save us,” he said, adding that Taiwan is actively purchasing US weapons to strengthen its defense.

He maintained that arms purchases must match the level of threat, which he described as “very high,” pointing to near-daily Chinese military activity around the island.

China regularly sends warships and military aircraft near Taiwan and has staged large-scale military drills in recent years, viewing the island as a core national interest and warning against support for Taiwanese independence.

Despite these pressures, Yui stated that there has been no change in Washington’s official position on Taiwan and that Taipei respects the Trump administration’s approach and timing on policy announcements.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also stated that Washington’s policy on Taiwan remains unchanged and that arms deals are not negotiated with China.

Rubio explained that the proposed package is still under review, partly due to concerns over US weapons stockpiles following recent global commitments. Separately, an USD 11 billion arms deal for Taiwan—including rocket systems and artillery equipment—was approved in December.

Yui, who arrived in Washington in 2023, is now navigating relations under the second Trump administration, which has taken a more flexible approach in its dealings with Beijing compared to earlier periods of tension.

Despite the shifting political rhetoric, the envoy expressed steady confidence in US-Taiwan ties, concluding that what matters most is policy action rather than statements, noting, “The big stick is still there.”

Source: AP