U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio says that the pending US$14 billion arms sale to Taiwan is still under review and the decision rests with President Donald Trump. That came during a U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing on Tuesday, June 2.

When asked about Taiwan, Rubio said that he had made it clear both during and after his visit to China that U.S. policy towards Taiwan had not changed. He believes that while China clearly hopes to see the U.S. adjust its wording on the matter, Washington has not made any changes in this regard.

Regarding Trump’s suggestions that the pending arms sale is a good bargaining chip, Rubio said that the issue is a top priority to China, but that it is not a factor delaying the president’s decision-making process. He added that the scale of the sale was so large and high-profile that it made China very provocative and caused the country’s leadership to take disruptive actions. Rubio emphasized that the U.S. wants to maintain the status quo and that this delicate relationship requires balance.