Description: US President Donald Trump has announced an increased arms package to Taiwan adding pressure to the already existing trade tensions and negotiations which have reportedly stalled. Taiwan earlier this year announced its intention to engage in a multibillion-dollar arms package with the US aiming to garner support from US President Trump and add to the military deterrent mechanisms against China. Chinese foreign officials have stated that the US is consistently sparking up new tensions by inciting Taiwan’s rearmament which China considers as part of its territory. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a different notion, announced that significant impasses have come to light in the trade negotiations between US and China despite the promising positive start. He also added that US President Trump and Chinese President Xi might have to intervene in order for the logjam to be removed and officials continue to negotiate the tariff dispute which has upended global markets and shifted global geopolitical trends.
Impact: US – China geopolitical tensions experience a significant negative upsurge as the US announced its readiness to support Taiwan’s rearmament while the ongoing trade negotiations have come to an impasse. China is unlikely to rapidly surge tensions with the US, as the recent events only represent additional hostile rhetoric from the US and continued geopolitical posturing concerning the Indo – Pacific and the Taiwan Strait. The US is ramping up its hostile narrative and imposes continued pressure on China in its geographical sphere of influence in order to solicitate favoring trade conditions in the ongoing negotiations and a geostrategic leverage over the Indo – Pacific. The trade negotiations were expected to be stalled, as China is aiming to gain leverage after the Federal Court of International Trade in the US abruptly blocked Trump’s tariffs. The trade talks would most probably prolong their lifespan, as both countries surpassed the initial diplomatic posturing and are aiming towards leveraging one another. If the US goes forward with Taiwan’s rearmament, military tensions in the region would significantly surge through increased military buildup.