Taiwan

The United States has approved $11.1bn in arms sales to Taiwan, one of Washington’s largest-ever military packages for the self-ruled island, which Beijing has promised to unify with mainland China.

US President Donald Trump has refused to approve a weapons package for Taiwan, the Washington Post has reported, citing five people familiar with the matter.

The United States Department of State has dropped wording stating that Washington does not support independence for Taiwan, according to reports.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has declared that the reunification of Taiwan and the Chinese mainland is a “historical inevitability”. He made the comments as the island prepares to hold contentious parliamentary and presidential elections.