TAIPEI, June 18 - Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Thursday said he was hopeful that a proposed new arms sale package from the United States would be approved soon, and he pushed back against any framing that Taiwan's efforts to protect itself amount to provocation.
Speaking at the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents' Club in Taipei, Lai underscored what he described as an ongoing U.S. security commitment to Taiwan. He urged Taipei to persist in strengthening its defensive capabilities and to avoid slowing its efforts.
"The key is that Taiwan must not change course in strengthening its own defence capabilities, nor can it slow its pace," he said.
Lai said Taiwan intends to "continue to maintain close communication with the U.S. government, and we also hope the arms purchases can be approved as soon as possible."
The president's remarks came amid heightened tensions with Beijing, which regards democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory and has increased both military and diplomatic pressure on the island. Lai noted that China has labelled him a "separatist" and has rejected his repeated offers to hold talks.
He reiterated his preference for negotiations carried out on a basis of "parity and respect," while affirming that Taiwan retains the right to safeguard its interests and that decisions about Taiwan's future belong solely to its people.
"Taiwan’s safeguarding of its own national security and maintaining its democratic and free way of life, its refusal to accept unification, and its refusal to accept rule by the Chinese Communist Party should not be seen as a provocation against China," Lai added.
The president's statements also followed public attention to comments made last month by U.S. President Donald Trump after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Trump said he was still weighing whether to approve new arms sales for Taiwan and described them as a "very good negotiating chip" with China. Those remarks contributed to unease in Taipei regarding the timing and certainty of future U.S. arms approvals.
Lai's comments emphasize a two-track approach: pressing ahead with defence enhancements and seeking diplomatic engagement with Beijing on terms Taiwan deems acceptable, while maintaining close ties and dialogue with Washington about security assistance.
Context note: The information above reflects the statements made by Taiwan's president during his public remarks and references reported comments by the U.S. president as discussed in those remarks.