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Or sign-in if you have an account.Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has gone on the offensive after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that arms sales to Taiwan could be used as a bargaining chip with China. Photo by Yu Chen CHENG /AFP/FileTaiwanese President Lai Ching-te said on Sunday that Taiwan will never be “traded away” as he pressed the United States to keep selling weapons to the island democracy to maintain regional peace.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorLai’s comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested arms sales to Taiwan could be used as a bargaining chip with China, which claims the island is part of its territory and has threatened to seize it by force.Trump wrapped up a state visit to Beijing on Friday where Chinese President Xi Jinping had pushed him not to support Taiwan, which depends heavily on U.S. security backing to deter a potential Chinese attack.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“The United States’ continued arms sales to Taiwan and deepening of Taiwan-U.S. security cooperation are not only necessary but also key elements in maintaining regional peace and stability,” Lai said in a statement on Facebook.Lai insisted that Taiwan, a global powerhouse in AI technology and semiconductor chip manufacturing, was at the “core” of global interests and “will never be sacrificed or traded away.”Trump’s remarks after the summit that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan “depends on China” and were a “very good negotiating chip for us” have alarmed Taipei, which insists such sales are part of Washington’s security commitment to the island. U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose for photos at Zhongnanhai Garden on May 15, 2026 in Beijing, China. Photo by China Pool /Getty ImagesThe United States is required under U.S. law to provide weapons to Taiwan for its defence, but it has been ambiguous on whether U.S. forces would come to its aid.U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday he thought Lai’s statement was a “reasonable thing for the leader there to say.”“They’ve got to flex their muscle a little bit,” Johnson told Fox News.“China cannot just go take over land, and we’re going to stand strong, and the Congress will.”Taiwan’s parliament recently approved a $25 billion defence spending bill that will be used for U.S. weapons.Lawmakers have said the funds will cover nearly $9 billion of the $11.1 billion arms package announced by Washington in December and a second phase of arms sales — not yet approved by the United States — worth more than $15 billion.Trump has said he is still considering the arms sales and will decide “over the next fairly short period of time.”‘Cool down’In an interview with Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier,” Trump said: “I’m not looking to have somebody go independent. And, you know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I’m not looking for that.”“I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down,” Trump said.“We’re not looking to have wars, and if you kept it the way it is, I think China’s going to be OK with that.”Lai said China was the “root cause of regional instability”, and vowed Taiwan “will not provoke or escalate conflicts” but nor would it be pressured into giving up “our democratic and free way of life.”“It is the status quo we seek to defend; there is no so-called ‘Taiwan independence’ issue,” said Lai, who considers the island already independent, making a declaration unnecessary.The United States recognizes only Beijing and does not support formal independence by Taiwan, but historically has stopped short of explicitly saying it opposes independence.Xi began the Beijing summit on Thursday with a warning on Taiwan. The Chinese leader told Trump that missteps on the sensitive issue could cause “conflict.”Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.