US Mulls Joint Weapons Production With Taiwan: Report

The U.S. government is considering a plan to jointly produce weapons with Taiwan, Japan's Nikkei newspaper said on Wednesday, citing three sources.

Washington wants to step up production capacity for U.S.-designed arms and speed up their transfer as part of a move to bolster deterrence against China, Nikkei reported.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Sunday that China would never renounce the right to use force over Taiwan, which it views as its own territory, but that it would strive for a peaceful resolution.

Taiwan's presidential office said earlier this week Taiwan would not back down on its sovereignty and would not compromise on freedom and democracy, but that meeting on the battlefield was not an option.

The Nikkei report added that a person with direct knowledge of the U.S. government's deliberations said discussions had begun, while a different source said it was likely to take some time.

Possibilities would include the U.S. providing technology to produce weapons in Taiwan, or producing the weapons in the United States using Taiwanese parts, the Nikkei added.

Tensions in the region remain high. On Tuesday, the Taiwan Defense Ministry said two Chinese air force planes crossed the Taiwan Strait median line.