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President Donald Trump is planning to ramp up weapons sales to Taiwan to a level exceeding the pace set during his first term, Reuters reported, a move that risks escalating military tensions with China at a time the two nations are already locked in difficult talks over tariffs.

Two US officials familiar with the matter said they expect US approvals for arms sales to Taipei over the next four years to surpass those in Trump’s first term, according to a Reuters report Friday. New weapons packages are expected to focus on missiles, munitions and drones.

Trump’s first term was marked by 22 military sales notifications for Taiwan valued at $18.65 billion, including backlogged cases and funding for maintenance of existing systems, compared to about $8.7 billion during the Biden administration, according to a 2024 report from the Cato Institute.