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Politics|Taiwan Arms Sale Approved by Congress Is Delayed as Trump Plans Visit to Beijing
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/27/us/politics/trump-taiwan-arms-sale.html
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The package worth billions of dollars and endorsed by lawmakers is stalled at the State Department as the U.S. and China plan an April summit.
By Edward Wong and Robert Jimison
Edward Wong reports on diplomacy and has written a book on China. Robert Jimison reports on foreign policy in Congress.
Feb. 27, 2026, 7:47 p.m. ET
The Trump administration has delayed announcing a package of arms sales to Taiwan valued at billions of dollars to avoid upsetting Xi Jinping, China’s leader, ahead of President Trump’s planned trip to Beijing in April, U.S. officials said.
The weapons sale, which includes air-defense missiles, is in an advanced stage. Senior Republican and Democratic lawmakers approved the package after the State Department sent it to them in January for informal review.
However, since then, the sales package has languished in the State Department, the officials said. Administration officials have told some involved in the approval of the sale that the White House ordered agencies not to move forward to ensure that Mr. Trump has a successful summit with Mr. Xi, one official said.
Another official said the package has a total value of about $13 billion, compared with the $11 billion sale that the Trump administration announced in December. The U.S. officials spoke to The New York Times on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic and security matters.
The State Department said it does not comment on pending arms sales. “This administration has been very clear that the enduring U.S. commitment to Taiwan continues, as it has for over four decades,” it said in a statement.
The White House referred questions to the State Department.
The topic of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan came up in a Feb. 4 call between Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi, according to a summary of the conversation from Chinese state news organizations.
English (US) ·