China Seizes on Trump’s $14 Billion Taiwan Arms Freeze to Undercut Taipei

8 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 18

China’s state media and defense ministry used Donald Trump’s decision to hold a $14 billion Taiwan arms package in abeyance to argue that the US is not a reliable defender of the island.
Trump said after his Beijing summit with Xi Jinping that the weapons sale was a “very good negotiating chip” and would depend on China, without saying what concession he wanted in return.
Global Times said President Lai Ching-te and his Democratic Progressive Party could no longer count on “unconditional indulgence” from Washington, sharpening Beijing’s pressure on Taiwan’s government.
A Chinese defense spokesman added that “security cannot be bought with military purchases,” reinforcing Beijing’s broader effort to portray Taiwan as a pawn vulnerable to abandonment by the US.

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