On Friday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom,” U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue said that “we don’t know” when the sale of $14 billion in military hardware for Taiwan that is on President Donald Trump’s desk will be signed, “President Trump has a schedule of his own.” And there hasn’t been any change to U.S. policy on Taiwan.
Co-host Bill Hemmer asked, “Did anything change with regard to the U.S. position on Taiwan in these meetings?”
Perdue answered, “Absolutely not. In Busan, it didn’t even come up. In May, President Xi brought it up. President Trump listened actively. And, in this meeting, it came up briefly. But let me be very clear, President Trump, since he was inaugurated, has not changed the position on the United States’ One China Policy. We fully support the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Communiqués, and the Six Assurances. President Trump, again, echoed that position of the United States federal government. We have not changed our position on Taiwan, we don’t support independence, but we really don’t support coercion, either.”
Hemmer then asked, “There is a $14 billion military hardware sale that is on his desk and has been there for some time that has not yet been signed that would go directly to helping Taipei defend itself. When will that be signed?”
Perdue responded, “Well, we don’t know. President Trump has a schedule of his own. And he has already sold 50% more arms to Taiwan than any other president since 1979. So, he’s already demonstrated that support. But, again, our position is, we want peace in the strait, we want a peaceful resolution. This is between the people of Taiwan and the people of China.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett