Senior U.S. senator expects joint weapons production with Taiwan

30/8/2025 17:26

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee and a strong advocate for Taiwan, said on Saturday he thought there would be future joint U.S.-Taiwanese weapons production, something Taipei has pushed for.



The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer and weapons supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, though since President Donald Trump took office earlier this year no new arms sales have been announced.



Asked at a news conference in Taipei about the prospect for joint production of weapons including drones, Wicker, a Republican, was upbeat.



"I think there's going to be joint production and joint efforts and that will depend on the skills present both on this side of the Pacific Ocean and ours, and actually we're open to suggestion and innovation in that regard," he said, at the end of a two-day visit where he met Taiwan President Lai Ching-te.



A Taiwan official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that co-production of weapons was "very important".