Taipei ‘optimistic’ about arms deal even after US Navy chief says it’s on ice

Taiwan’s defence minister said on Monday he remained “cautiously optimistic” about US approval of an arms package for the island, even as a senior Pentagon official said Washington would put the sale on hold.The reassurance by Wellington Koo Li-hsiung came after acting US Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said Washington was pausing the proposed deal to ensure the US military had sufficient ammunition to continue its war on Iran.“We’re just making sure we have everything, but then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary,” Cao told a Senate hearing on Thursday, also confirming that he had “not spoken to the Taiwanese” about the pause.