Wicker urges US uphold Taiwan security commitments

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker said the United States must honor its security commitments to Taiwan under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which calls for providing the island with the means to defend itself. After meeting Taiwan’s representative in Washington, Wicker said Congress had authorized expanded training, security assistance and arms sales, and that the Trump administration should use those resources as Congress intended. His comments come as an arms package worth about $14 billion remains on hold; Trump said he was keeping it in abeyance after meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping in May. Wicker also urged Washington to maintain the precedent of not consulting Beijing on arms sales to Taiwan, while lawmakers from both parties have pressed the administration to release stalled assistance amid concerns about Chinese aggression.