Taipei, May 21:
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said he would tell US President Donald Trump that Taiwan wants to continue buying US weapons, calling them vital for peace and deterrence amid rising pressure from China, which claims the island as its territory.
Lai said “only strength can bring peace” and stressed that increased defence spending is a response to security threats.
He added that Taiwan’s future cannot be decided by external forces and rejected forced unification, while supporting closer cooperation with the US and other democracies.
China strongly criticised Lai’s remarks, accusing him of promoting separatism and opposing US arms sales to Taiwan.
The issue comes amid heightened US–China tensions over Taiwan’s status, especially after recent arms deals and warnings from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The situation underscores ongoing friction between Beijing and Washington over Taiwan’s security and sovereignty.