Four Republican Senators penned a letter calling on the White House to approve massive weapons sales to Taiwan. According to sources speaking with Reuters, US arms sales to Taiwan will top Chinese President Xi Jinping’s agenda when he meets with President Donald Trump later this week.

Senators Mitch McConnell, John ​Cornyn, Lisa Murkowski, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina sent the letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The letter expressed concern that the Trump administration has not approved a proposed $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan, the State Department has yet to use $300 million in military aid, and the Department of War has failed to obligate $1 billion in weapons appropriated by Congress under the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative (TSCI).

The senators argued that Trump was inappropriately using arms sales to Taiwan as leverage against Beijing. “We are concerned ⁠by President Trump’s description of Taiwan as ‘a very good negotiating chip’ in engagements with Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party,” the letter said.

“It is difficult to imagine how the United States might ​credibly project ​influence deterrence in the Indo-Pacific if the price ​of keeping up diplomatic appearances is ‌denying our partners key deterrent capabilities,” it added. 

Three sources familiar with US and Chinese discussions in the lead-up to the summit explained that Xi is likely to press his interpretation of the third “joint communique” signed by Beijing and Washington in 1982.

“The United States Government states that it does not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan,” the 1982 joint statement says. The US “intends to reduce gradually its sales of arms to Taiwan, leading over a period of time to a final resolution.”

However, Washington has increased arms sales to Taipei, including sending advanced air defenses and warplanes. The US has justified continued arms deliveries to Taiwan by arguing that its commitment to reduce sales was conditioned on Beijing maintaining a peaceful approach toward Taiwan. 

One source told Reuters that Xi is prepared to “emphasize to Trump that Taiwan is the provocateur and the sole source of ‌instability in ⁠US-China relations, and that Taiwan is the one changing the status quo.”

They added that Xi’s requests to Trump include not only blocking future arms sales to Taiwan but also canceling deliveries of weapons shipments to the breakaway Chinese province that have already been ordered. 

According to Reuters, China is offering to help pressure Iran over the war in exchange for US concessions on Taiwan.