Beijing: The US is planning to send a high-level security delegation to China within weeks to pave the way for a possible visit by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Anadolu Agency reports citing the South China Morning Post.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the delegation is expected to be led by Elbridge Colby, the US undersecretary of defense for policy and a key architect of the 2026 National Defense Strategy, as reported by unnamed sources. The visit aims to finalize arrangements for a potential trip by Hegseth, although no timeline was disclosed. US President Donald Trump recently completed a three-day visit to Beijing, where he held meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping on trade, bilateral relations, and Taiwan. Hegseth was part of the delegation during the visit.
This marked the first time a sitting US president and defense secretary jointly visited China since the normalization of bilateral ties. A report by the UK-based Financial Times indicated that China had expressed it could not approve a visit until Trump decides on a stalled $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan. China's opposition to US arms sales to Taiwan remains 'consistent and clear,' stated Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun during a regular press briefing in Beijing. There has been no official confirmation from either Washington or Beijing regarding Colby's expected visit. Commenting on Trump's plans to speak with Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te about the stalled arms package, Guo reiterated Beijing's opposition to official exchanges between the US and Taiwan and US arms sales to the island. Lai expressed his willingness to speak with Trump.
Guo urged Washington to act on the important common understandings reached at the China-US summit, honor its commitments, handle the Taiwan question with prudence, stop sending wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces, and take actions to uphold peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the development of China-US relations.
The Taiwan weapons package, which includes missiles and air defense interceptors, has been stalled at the State Department for months. China considers Taiwan its "breakaway province," while Taipei has insisted on its independence since 1949.