President Trump is not expected to speak with Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te before Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the U.S. this fall, according to sources close to the situation.
During Trump’s recent trip to China, Xi warned that Taiwan could become a “very dangerous situation” if mishandled. Back in May, Trump had hinted at speaking with Lai before deciding on a package of military arms for Taiwan. He told reporters, “I have to speak to the person that right now is — you know who he is — that’s running Taiwan.”
Since 1979, no sitting U.S. president has directly communicated with a leader from Taiwan due to sensitive diplomatic relations with China. In December 2016, Trump, then president-elect, received a congratulatory call from previous Taiwanese President Tsai Ying-wen.
Taiwan’s representative to the U.S., Alexander Yui, expressed that if Lai had the chance, he would share Taiwan’s resilience story and its stance against Chinese aggression.
Taiwan’s de facto embassy in the U.S. has said they are still waiting for news from the U.S. about a potential call. Meanwhile, a White House official indicated that the focus remains on Trump’s previous comments.
China has consistently opposed any official relations between the U.S. and Taiwan. A spokesperson for the Chinese Communist Party emphasized the nation’s firm position against U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. Recently, during Trump’s visit to China, he mentioned discussing the arms sales in detail with Xi, at one point stating he might hold back on them depending on China’s actions.
As per the Reagan-era Six Assurances, the U.S. committed not to cut off arms sales to Taiwan and not to consult Beijing on such decisions. Trump commented, “What am I going to do? Say I don’t want to talk to you about it, because I have an agreement that was signed in 1982? No. We discussed arms sales.”
The last major U.S. arms sale to Taiwan was an $11 billion deal announced in December. A new package worth $14 billion has been pending since January, waiting for Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s signature. Recently, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao informed Congress that the sale has been postponed to ensure U.S. military readiness elsewhere, particularly in Iran. However, reports indicate the delay is unrelated to Iran.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office reaffirmed that communications with the U.S. are ongoing, emphasizing U.S. support for stability in the Taiwan Strait.
While no call with Taipei is currently planned, sources suggest that Trump remains open to conversations as events unfold.
The situation highlights rising tensions surrounding Taiwan and the potential consequences for U.S.-China relations. Recent surveys indicate that more than 70% of Americans support U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, reflecting growing concern over China’s assertive stance in the region.
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Taiwan, Xi Jinping, Donald Trump, China
