World News Today Live Updates on May 21, 2026 : China Blocks Pentagon Official's Beijing Visit over $14 Billion US Arms Package for Taiwan: Report
Beijing is holding up the trip as it presses Trump to decide on a $14 billion Taiwan arms package, officials and reports said.
- On Thursday, reports indicated Beijing is stalling a proposed visit by Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, pressuring President Donald Trump to postpone a $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan.
- Beijing reportedly conditioned the visit on Trump's decision regarding the weapons package, following the administration's approval of an $11 billion sale to Taiwan last December.
- Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Tuesday he was "cautiously optimistic" about U.S. arms sales, while former senior CIA China expert Dennis Wilder suggested China aims to delay packages until after President Xi Jinping's September visit.
- Trump said on Wednesday he would speak with President Lai Ching-te, an unprecedented move that could destabilize US-China relations. Officials note Trump has approved more arms sales to Taiwan than any previous president.
- Security expert Zack Cooper suggests Beijing will likely use future visits by Colby or Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as leverage to scale down arms sales. Washington remains legally obligated to provide Taiwan the means to defend itself.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Top U.S. envoy affirms Taiwan commitments despite Trump's remarks
The United States' top envoy to Taiwan has reaffirmed that Washington's long-standing commitments to Taiwan have not changed after U.S. President Donald Trump called arms sales to Taiwan a "good bargaining chip" in dealings with China.
Xi's 1st 'act of war' on USA stuns Trump: Taiwan flashpoint erupts as POTUS mulls $14000000000 aid
As President Trump insists he has the Taiwan crisis under control, Beijing is delaying a top Pentagon official’s visit and using a contested 14‑billion‑dollar arms package as leverage. With Xi Jinping holding the real cards and Taiwan’s leadership waiting on Washington, Trump must choose between angering China with new weapons or blinking first on support for the island.
Following his visit to Beijing last week, Trump had declared that he had not yet decided on a $14 billion arms package for Taiwan
According to media reports, Beijing is delaying the US Secretary of State's visit, while Donald Trump reaffirms his intention to speak with Taiwan's president.
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