A bipartisan group of four U.S. senators visited Taiwan on Monday to urge the island's opposition-controlled parliament to pass a $40 billion special defense budget. The senators, including Democrats Jeanne Shaheen and Jacky Rosen, and Republicans John Curtis and Thom Tillis, met with Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te to express support for the stalled budget, which aims to bolster Taiwan's defense capabilities amid rising military pressure from China.
The proposed budget, equivalent to NT$1.25 trillion, has been stalled in Taiwan's legislature, where the opposition favors closer ties with Beijing. President Lai stressed that the delays are driven by "political factors" but emphasized Taipei's commitment to strengthening self-defence and cooperation with the United States. The senators' visit comes ahead of a planned May summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, where arms sales to Taiwan are expected to be a key topic.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has condemned the U.S. visit, calling for adherence to the One China principle. Beijing has also warned against official interactions with Taiwan, which it considers a core interest. The U.S., while not recognizing Taiwan as a sovereign nation, remains its strongest informal backer and arms supplier under the Taiwan Relations Act.
The senators' visit underscores growing frustration in Washington over the delays in passing the defense budget, which could impact Taiwan's ability to meet payment deadlines for U.S.-approved arms packages. The budget is seen as crucial for rapidly enhancing Taiwan's defense capabilities in response to potential threats from China.