US scraps Taiwan defense meeting ahead of China trade talks
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The US move raises concern in Taipei as Trump prioritizes trade talks with China over military cooperation with the island.
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Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te (C) and Defense Minister Wellington Koo arrive on a visit to inspect military troops in Taoyuan, Taiwan, on May 23, 2024 (AFP)
The US cancelled a meeting with Taiwan’s defense minister in June, raising further concern in Taipei that President Donald Trump may be hesitant to back the country in ways that risk provoking China, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
Wellington Koo had planned to travel to Washington for defense talks with Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s third-ranking official, but the US cancelled the meeting at the last minute, according to several people familiar with the matter. The US told Taiwan the timing was unsuitable due to its strikes on Iran, although several people familiar with the matter said there were additional concerns.
Some US officials were concerned that permitting the Taiwanese defense minister’s visit could jeopardize US-China trade negotiations and hurt President Donald Trump’s attempts to arrange a summit with President Xi Jinping.
The US and Taiwan are exploring new dates for a meeting, but people familiar with the matter said Washington prefers to hold it at a level below Koo, which has heightened concerns that Trump is seeking to avoid provoking China. One US official noted that the appropriate level for the talks remains undecided.
The cancellation followed a call between Trump and Xi, prompting speculation that the US president may have yielded to pressure from China.
China becomes US priority over Taiwan
Previously, Bloomberg News reported that the Taiwanese president was denied transit through New York during an official trip to Latin America planned for next month, something the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry denied.
Ryan Hass of the Brookings Institution said the decision to postpone Lai’s transit came amid rising unease in Taipei over a perception that Trump is trying to ease tensions with Beijing to clear the way for his anticipated meeting with President Xi Jinping this fall.
Evan Medeiros, a China expert at Georgetown University, described the cancellation of the defense meeting as “very dangerous”, saying it weakens deterrence against China, unsettles leaders in Taiwan, and erodes domestic resolve.
Taipei, encouraged strongly by Washington, has been trying to increase its arms purchases to enhance its ability to defend itself against an alleged Chinese assault.
Last month, Taiwan began the process of seeking US approval to purchase $20 billion worth of American munitions and weapons, according to three people familiar with the situation, with Taipei expecting those sales to proceed next year, but that timeline could be at risk due to Washington’s attempts to avoid disrupting trade negotiations or high-level talks with China.
