WASHINGTON/TAIPEI - A major U.S. arms package intended for Taiwan, consisting mainly of advanced interceptor and air-defense systems and carrying a price tag near $14 billion, is ready for formal approval by the president, according to people briefed on internal deliberations. Those same sources say the administration is holding the announcement until after a planned presidential visit to China later this month.
The proposed sale, which would be the largest ever made to the democratically governed island, has been kept confidential while the White House prepares for a trip to Beijing scheduled for March 31 to April 2 to meet President Xi Jinping, the sources added. Officials close to the negotiations described the content of the package as largely made up of PAC-3 and NASAMS air-defense missiles.
One source familiar with the package said that once the president provides approval, the sale is ready to be publicly declared. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, described the preparations as complete and ready for announcement following the president's return.
In addition to the roughly $14 billion set of conventional air-defense systems, officials reported that about $6 billion in so-called "asymmetric" defense capabilities is also awaiting approval. Details on that second tranche were not specified by the source, who declined to identify the specific systems involved.
Diplomatic caution has shaped the timing. Chinese leader Xi Jinping told the U.S. president in February that decisions on arms sales to Taiwan - which Beijing regards as its own territory - should be handled with "prudence." The planned hold on publicizing the package until after the Beijing trip reflects that concern, according to the sources.
Observers had expressed concern that efforts by the administration to secure a favorable trade arrangement with China might lead to reduced U.S. military support for Taiwan. The ready-to-sign arms package suggests, however, that the administration intends to maintain - or possibly increase - its level of military assistance to the island, an outcome that officials in Taipei have welcomed as easing some of their uncertainty.
U.S. policy documents issued late last year emphasize that deterring conflict over Taiwan is a priority for Washington, "ideally by preserving military overmatch," according to language included in the administration's National Security Strategy. Yet public remarks by the president - including a February comment to journalists that he was "talking" to Xi about Taiwan arms sales - have triggered speculation that longstanding U.S. practice of equipping Taiwan to defend itself could be scaled back. That practice also has codified elements in U.S. law.
Even so, approvals granted during the current presidential term have already exceeded the total value of weapons the prior administration approved over four years. That earlier package included an $11 billion approval in December covering missiles, drones, artillery and aircraft parts.
People who follow the pattern of U.S. arms sales told analysts that administrations historically time approvals around politically sensitive engagements with Beijing, a pattern that appears to be continuing.
China's foreign ministry reiterated its longstanding position, saying in a statement that its "opposition to U.S. arms sales to China’s Taiwan region is consistent and unequivocal." Beijing regularly demands that the United States cease such sales.
A senior U.S. official responding to questions about the matter confirmed that additional weapons approvals were progressing through the required processes. The official said, "Arms sales are working their way through the process. There is no change to our policy with respect to Taiwan."
Officials in Taipei said Washington has repeatedly reassured them of U.S. support even as looming diplomatic engagement with Beijing has generated uncertainty. One Taiwan source said Beijing had sought to delay U.S. arms approvals and had attempted to create a more favorable atmosphere ahead of the summit by reducing some military pressure on the island.
"We have confidence in Trump, though. Beijing has underestimated the strategic vision of the White House," the Taiwan source said.
Taiwan's defense ministry said its procurement projects have finished "preliminary coordination" with U.S. counterparts, and that the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency has supplied information on items proposed for purchase along with delivery schedules. In January, Taiwan's defense ministry indicated a U.S. arms deal covering four items was expected, but declined to provide details before such notices are formally delivered to the U.S. Congress, the customary step in the approval process.
The U.S. State Department has voiced support for increased defense spending by Taiwan. In January, Washington's top diplomat in Taiwan, Raymond Greene, said the United States was "fully committed to delivering critical systems as quickly as possible."
Context and next steps
According to sources familiar with the deliberations, the administration is moving the approvals through internal review channels and timing the public release to avoid creating additional complications during high-level diplomacy with Beijing. If the president signs off after returning from the visit, formal notification to Congress and subsequent public announcements would be the expected next steps.
Because some elements of the package are being characterized as "asymmetric," officials declined to outline those capabilities in public. The lack of specificity leaves that portion of the program subject to further clarification only after formal approval and disclosure to Congress.
Reporting for this article was based on briefings and statements from unnamed sources, official statements by Taiwan's defense ministry and public comments by U.S. officials cited above.