2026 US Arms Sales to Taiwan: Trump Reasserts Influence Amid Beijing's Warning

The Taiwan Strait is bracing for a "violent storm." A massive US arms deal announced in December 2025 has reignited tensions between Washington and Beijing. Donald Trump's administration's decision to supply advanced weaponry to Taiwan has prompted a fierce diplomatic backlash from China, citing a breach of national sovereignty.

The Impact of 2026 US Arms Sales to Taiwan on Global Security

According to reports, Cao Xiaolin, the Chinese Ambassador to Qatar, stated that the deal blatantly violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques. Beijing argues that the US had pledged in 1982 to gradually reduce its sale of arms to Taiwan, a promise they claim has been systematically ignored over the past 40 years.

The Chinese side views the move as an emboldening of "Taiwan independence" forces. They claim the DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) is turning the island into a "powder keg" by soliciting US support. Meanwhile, Washington maintains that the sales are consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, designed to ensure the island's self-defense capability in an increasingly volatile region.

Beijing's Red Line and Strategic Response

Ambassador Cao emphasized that the Taiwan question remains the core of China's core interests. He warned that no amount of advanced weaponry can reverse the inevitability of reunification. The international community is closely watching how Xi Jinping's government will translate this "strong deplore" into action, whether through economic sanctions or increased military drills around the island.