SouthernWorldwide.com – China has reportedly deployed over 100 vessels in the waters surrounding Taiwan shortly after a summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. This assertion was made by the secretary general of Taiwan’s National Security Council on a Saturday.
Joseph Wu, the secretary general, stated on the social media platform X that intelligence indicated the People’s Republic of China (PRC) had positioned more than 100 vessels around the “1st Island Chain” in the days following the summit held in Beijing.
Wu expressed his view that China is the sole entity disrupting the status quo and posing a threat to regional peace and stability in this part of the world.
He also shared a graphic that appeared to illustrate a significant concentration of Chinese vessel movements in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and in proximity to Taiwan and the Philippines.
This disclosure of increased naval activity comes just over a week after President Trump concluded his visit to Beijing. It also follows recent statements by the acting U.S. Navy Secretary regarding a temporary halt in weapons shipments to Taiwan.
Acting U.S. Navy Secretary Hung Cao informed U.S. lawmakers that the United States was implementing a pause in weapons shipments. This decision was made to ensure that the necessary munitions were available for a specific operation referred to as “Epic Fury.”
Cao’s testimony before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee on Tuesday elaborated on this temporary suspension. This pause occurred subsequent to the Trump-Xi summit, where Chinese officials underscored the significance of the Taiwan issue in China-U.S. diplomatic relations.
Lawmakers in the U.S. had previously approved a substantial weapons package for Taiwan amounting to $14 billion in January. However, President Trump had not yet formally signed off on this package.
According to reports from The Associated Press, Taiwanese officials stated that they had not received any prior notification regarding potential pauses in weapons sales.
The announcement of the pause by Secretary Cao came after the summit, during which Chinese officials emphasized that the Taiwan question is the most critical issue in the relationship between China and the United States.
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issued a statement after the meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi. She conveyed that President Xi had stressed to President Trump that the Taiwan question is the paramount issue in China-U.S. relations.
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The statement further warned that if the Taiwan issue is handled appropriately, the bilateral relationship would experience overall stability. Conversely, any mishandling could lead to clashes or even conflicts between the two countries, placing the entire relationship in significant jeopardy.
