US hawks push Trump on multibillion-dollar Taiwan arms deal ahead of Xi summit

The US is considering a multibillion-dollar arms deal with Taiwan, potentially causing tension prior to a summit where Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit the United States. According to Senator Michael McCaul, a Republican from Texas, Trump plans to submit a $14 billion package of military defense articles to Congress soon.

McCaul emphasized that the package serves as a "very good negotiating chip" during his upcoming state visit to China. The arms deal has drawn criticism from Beijing, which has held military exercises near Taiwan in response to the previous $11 billion arms package approved in December. Despite concerns over the deal, most countries, including the US, do not recognize Taiwan as an independent state and are committed to protecting it from force.

The US administration is currently reviewing the package, which was paused in May to ensure American forces have enough weapons for the Iran war. The United States and China have been working towards "constructive strategic stability," but Beijing considers the Taiwan issue a critical matter and has warned against any actions that could jeopardize bilateral ties.