For Taiwan, Trump's 'protection' money may mean new and early big ticket arms deals.
Taiwan may demonstrate it takes Donald Trump's "protection" money demand seriously with large and early new arms deals, showing it is not looking for a free ride and is determined to show Washington its resolve to spend to defend itself.
Trump, unnerved democratically governed Taiwan, which is claimed by China, by saying that Taiwan should pay the U.S. for its defence and that it had taken semiconductor business away from America.
"Watch for Taiwan on the defence side to try and start engaging them on a big arms package - to do something significant, very large," Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council which helps broker defence exchanges between Washington and Taipei, adding it could come in the first quarter of next year.
"But think of it as a down payment, an attention getter," he said. "They'll stack up several big platforms and big buys of munitions."
Taiwan may demonstrate it takes Donald Trump's "protection" money demand seriously with large and early new arms deals, showing it is not looking for a free ride and is determined to show Washington its resolve to spend to defend itself.
Trump, unnerved democratically governed Taiwan, which is claimed by China, by saying that Taiwan should pay the U.S. for its defence and that it had taken semiconductor business away from America.
"Watch for Taiwan on the defence side to try and start engaging them on a big arms package - to do something significant, very large," Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council which helps broker defence exchanges between Washington and Taipei, adding it could come in the first quarter of next year.
"But think of it as a down payment, an attention getter," he said. "They'll stack up several big platforms and big buys of munitions."
7 months ago
