Defense Minister Wellington Koo says the government remains "cautiously
optimistic" about future arms sales Taiwan by the United States despite
reports suggesting that Washington could indefinitely delay such sales.

This, after a New York Times report which said comments by U-S leader Donald
Trump describing arms sales to Taiwan as a "very good negotiation chip", had
sparked concern within Trump's administration over security assurances to
Taiwan.

The report also raised the possibility that Washington could "indefinitely
withhold" an 14-billion U-S dollar arms sales package to the island.

Koo told lawmakers that U-S officials have repeatedly stated that
Washington's Taiwan policy remains unchanged.

Koo added the government has consistently made clear that it is a maintainer
of the cross-strait status quo rather than a provocateur and that China is
the party undermining regional peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

The defense minister also stressed that the Lai administration will continue
communicating with the U-S, while remaining "cautiously optimistic" that arms
sales will continue.