“I may do it. I may not do it,” he told Fox News’ Bret Baier in an interview that was recorded in Beijing and aired after he left. “We’re not looking to have wars. If you kept it the way it is, I think China is [going to] be OK with that. But we’re not looking to have somebody say, ‘Let’s go independent because the United States is backing us.’”
“It’s a very good negotiating chip for us, frankly,” he said. “It’s a lot of weapons.”
Taiwan has been waiting for months for Trump to approve a $14 billion weapons package that would help it defend against a Chinese military operation to capture the island. The package includes air-defense systems and sophisticated missiles. Trump approved an $11 billion arms package last year, prompting increased Chinese military drills around Taiwan.
But Trump’s comments suggest his Administration’s support for Taiwan, which China has threatened to take control of by force if necessary, is negotiable, and may be softened in return for economic deals with Beijing.