Taipei: The Trump administration remains steadfast in its support for Taiwan, a U.S. official stated on Sunday, despite Beijing's private warnings that arms sales to Taiwan could affect President Donald Trump's scheduled visit to China in April. "This administration has been very clear that the enduring U.S. commitment to Taiwan continues, as it has for over four decades," a State Department spokesperson told CNA, while declining to comment on pending arms transfers. The U.S. also urged Beijing to reduce its military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan and engage in meaningful dialogue.

According to Focus Taiwan, the statement followed a Financial Times report that the U.S. is preparing to sell Patriot missiles and other weapons to Taiwan, worth up to US$20 billion. This comes after a US$11.1 billion arms package approved for Taiwan in December. The Chinese government has warned that this new sale could impact President Trump's upcoming state visit to China. Additionally, Chinese leader Xi Jinping discussed the arms sales issue with Trump, urging caution, as per the Chinese foreign ministry.

In Taiwan, the funding for these defense packages is stalled in the opposition-controlled Legislature. The Legislature has not yet approved the government's 2026 budget proposal or the special defense budget for 2026-2033. Several U.S. senators have encouraged Taiwan to pass these budgets, and the White House has expressed strong support for Taiwan's defense enhancement efforts. A senior White House official acknowledged Taiwan's plan to allocate over 3 percent of its GDP to defense in 2026 and 5 percent by 2030.

Taiwan's proposed 2026 general budget includes a significant increase in defense spending. The proposal suggests boosting defense funding by NT$93.8 billion, or 20.1 percent, bringing the total to NT$949.5 billion, which represents 3.32 percent of Taiwan's GDP, based on government data.