Chinese action against Taiwan would be an “act of war that sparks a global crisis”, said The Wall Street Journal. “It would provoke a military response by Taiwan, force President Trump to decide whether the US military should help defend the island, disrupt global trade and impel European nations to impose punishing sanctions on Beijing.”

Earlier this month, Taiwan's foreign ministry said it received official notification that the Trump administration approved a US$330 million arms sales to Taiwan, including fighter jet parts.

Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai said on Tuesday that a "return" to China is not an option for the island's 23 million people, after Chinese President Xi Jinping pressed his country's sovereignty claims in a call with U.

The budget will be allocated over eight years as part of the island's strategy to deter a China's threats of invasion

Taiwan's president should take part in "rehearsals" focused on potential enemy movements in order to make more informed decisions during wartime, retired Ukrainian Air Force Colonel Andrii Ordynovych said in an interview with the Central News Agency, which is partially funded by Taiwan's government.

The call, not previously flagged by either country, came weeks after the two leaders met in South Korea, where they agreed to a framework for a trade deal that has yet to be finalised.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump discussed bilateral cooperation and the issue of Taiwan in a phone call on Monday.

Chinese state media reported some of what was discussed in the phone call that took place on Monday, local time.

Taiwan has already held preliminary talks with the United States about what weapons it wants to buy as part of a $40 billion supplementary defence budget, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Thursday.