Taiwan flags China military pressure

Taiwan used the second anniversary of President Lai Ching-te’s inauguration to deliver two messages at once: Beijing’s military pressure is rising, and Taipei wants U.S. arms support to keep flowing. Premier Cho Jung-tai said on May 19 that China’s military actions were the biggest source of regional instability after Taiwan’s defense ministry again reported Chinese exercises near the island. President Lai said on May 20 that, if he could speak directly to U.S. President Donald Trump, he would tell him Taiwan wanted to continue buying American weapons because they were essential to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Lai’s remarks came after Trump said some arms sales to Taiwan were “in abeyance,” introducing new uncertainty into a relationship Taipei has long treated as central to its deterrence strategy. (usnews.com) China added to that pressure this week by sending the Liaoning carrier strike group into the western Pacific for training, according to reports citing the Chinese navy. The deployment came days after a recent U.S.-China summit and alongside continued Chinese air and naval activity around Taiwan. ### Why is Taipei talking about instability now? (focustaiwan.tw) Cho’s statement followed another round of reported People’s Liberation Army activity near Taiwan, which Reuters said included fresh exercises around the island. Taiwan has repeatedly described those operations as part of a sustained campaign of military coercion rather than isolated drills. (upi.com) Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and has rejected Lai’s calls for dialogue, according to Reuters and other reports. Chinese officials and state media have continued to frame Lai as a separatist, while Taiwan says the island’s future can only be decided by its people. ### What did Lai say about U.S. weapons sales? (usnews.com) Lai said on Wednesday that Taiwan hoped U.S. weapons sales would continue to support the defense capabilities it needs to maintain peace and stability across the strait. Focus Taiwan reported that Lai made the comment when asked what he would tell Trump directly. Trump’s “in abeyance” remark matters because Taiwan has been waiting on additional U.S. arms decisions. (usnews.com) Reports cited by regional outlets say a further package has not yet been approved, even after an earlier large sale moved ahead under the Trump administration. ### What is China doing at sea? The Chinese navy said on May 19 that the Liaoning carrier formation had been sent into relevant waters of the western Pacific for training. (focustaiwan.tw) Chinese state media said the drills would include long-range tactical flights and live-fire exercises to test combat readiness. UPI reported that the carrier deployment took place days after a U.S.-China summit in Beijing. (straitstimes.com) Reuters-linked reports published elsewhere tied the move to the same period in which Taiwan was again reporting PLA activity near the island. ### Why do arms sales and military patrols intersect? Taiwan’s position is that Chinese military pressure and U.S. political ambiguity now overlap. (news.cgtn.com) Lai and other Taiwanese officials have argued publicly that continued American weapons deliveries are necessary for deterrence as Beijing increases operations around the island. That leaves Taipei trying to project steadiness while answering two separate questions from allies and markets: whether China will keep raising the military tempo, and whether Washington will keep approving the weapons Taiwan has requested. (upi.com) That framing is an inference drawn from Lai’s comments, Cho’s statement and the timing of the Liaoning deployment. (focustaiwan.tw) ### What comes next? Taiwan’s defense ministry is expected to continue publishing daily updates on Chinese aircraft and naval movements near the island, as it has throughout recent periods of PLA activity. Lai has also kept pressing publicly for continued U.S. arms support, making Washington’s next decision on pending sales a closely watched milestone. (usnews.com)