US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he will speak with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te. If their talks take place, it will be an unprecedented move by a US leader that could strain relations with Communist Chinareports TASR according to the Reuters agency.
The presidents of the US and Taiwan have not officially spoken directlysince 1979, when Washington officially diplomatically recognized the government in Beijing instead of Taipei. Beijing views Taiwan as its territory and has never given up on using military force to take control of the self-governing island with a democratic government. He therefore criticizes the long-term American military support of Taipei, whose goal is to deter communist China from military intervention, Reuters stated.
“I’ll talk to him,” Trump told reporters when asked about Lajo. “I’m talking to everybody… We’re going to work on that, that Taiwan issue.” The head of the White House mentioned the intention to speak with the Taiwanese president for the second time this week. This refuted initial speculation that his first mention of it after a recent meeting with PRC President Xi Jinping was just a blurt. The White House has not yet responded to Reuters’ request for comment on the date or topics of the call. The Chinese embassy in Washington also did not immediately respond.
Trump has repeatedly touted his relations with Xi as “wonderful.” After last week’s trip to Beijing, he declared that he had not yet decided whether the US would implement a major $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan. But US government officials have pointed out that Trump has already approved more arms sales to Taiwan than any of his predecessors.
Lai Qingte said on Wednesday that if he had the chance to talk to Trump, he would tell him that his government is committed to maintaining the status quo on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and that it is the PRC that is undermining peace by massively building up its military presence in the Indo-Pacific.
“No country has the right to annex Taiwan. The people of Taiwan lead a democratic and free life, and democracy and freedom should not be considered a provocation.” said the Taiwanese leader.
The United States is bound by the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) of 1979 provide him with “arms in the quantity necessary for his own defence” and maintain the ability to defend Taiwan against the use of force or coercion. Republican and Democratic congressmen therefore call on the Trump administration to continue selling weapons.
