Washington, May 17 (IANS) Concerns are growing in Taiwan after President Donald Trump indicated that future US arms sales to Taipei could become part of broader negotiations with China following his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Taiwan’s representative to the US, Alexander Yui, warned on Sunday on CBS News that Taiwan needed continued American weapons support to deter what he described as growing Chinese aggression across the Taiwan Strait.

“If we want to prevent a war from happening, I think it’s best that Taiwan is strong, able to defend itself,” Yui said.

The comments came after Trump suggested in interviews and remarks following the Beijing summit that Taiwan-related arms sales could be used as a “negotiating chip” with China.

“It’s a very good negotiating chip for us, frankly,” Trump said, according to ABC News.

President Trump also noted that he wanted both Taiwan and China to “cool down”, while stopping short of committing to approve a new weapons package sought by Taipei.

The issue has emerged as one of the most sensitive outcomes of the Trump-Xi summit, which otherwise produced limited publicly announced agreements.

Yui sought to reassure Taiwanese audiences that the US had not formally changed its longstanding Taiwan policy, noting that both Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had publicly maintained support for stability in the Taiwan Strait.

But he also made clear that Taiwan wanted Washington to hear “our side of the story” after Trump spent two days in Beijing hearing Chinese concerns about the self-governed island.

“He heard only their side of the story,” Yui said.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly warned against foreign military support for Taipei. Beijing has increased military pressure on Taiwan in recent years through air incursions, naval patrols and military exercises around the island.

Yui rejected Beijing’s claims that Taiwan was provoking tensions.

“We’re not the ones creating all this trouble,” he said.

“It is China… creating all these problems.”

Former US Defence Secretary Robert Gates also addressed Taiwan tensions during an appearance on CBS News, warning that China could attempt to pressure Taiwan through blockades or economic strangulation rather than an outright invasion.

“They could create a blockade or a quarantine around Taiwan anytime they wanted,” Gates said.

At the same time, Gates urged Washington to proceed with pending arms deliveries to Taiwan despite concerns over growing US weapons shortages caused by conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.

–IANS

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