China is delaying approval for a summer visit to Beijing by U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby until President Donald Trump makes a decision on a pending $14 billion U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, according to sources cited in a May 20 Financial Times report. Meanwhile, on May 20, Trump said he would speak with Taiwanese President William Lai in response to a reporter's question about whether he would discuss the arms sale with Lai.

When asked about the arms sale on his flight back from his May 14-15 visit to Beijing, Trump said: "I have to speak to the person that right now is, you know who he is, that's running Taiwan." Lai has since said he would welcome a call from Trump.