Taiwan-U.S. Ties are Rock Solid: Lai Ching-te
Taiwan's president remarked that its ties with the United States are "rock solid," following a call where Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized his nation's territorial claims over the island to President Donald Trump.
As per a Chinese summary from the extensive conversation on Wednesday, Xi cautioned Trump regarding U.S. weapon sales to Taiwan, implying that the self-governing democracy might emerge as a more significant topic in U.S.-China relations after being largely sidelined for months.
Similar to many nations, the U.S. lacks formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which Beijing has pledged to unify under its control by any means required. However, the U.S. serves as Taiwan’s key global supporter and is obligated by law to provide it with defense supplies.
“Relations between Taiwan and the U.S. are very strong, and our diverse cooperation initiatives will proceed as planned,” Taiwan President Lai Ching-te informed reporters, noting that U.S. commitments to Taiwan remain unchanged.
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Although Taiwan has long caused tensions in U.S.-China relations, it has not been a primary focus since Trump resumed his position while the two largest economies faced a trade conflict.
Lev Nachman, a political science professor at National Taiwan University, indicated that the Trump-Xi conversation implies those times "may be coming to an end."
Taiwan is expected to be a key subject of conversation during Trump's visit to Xi in China this April, he stated.
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“Taiwan should be ready,” stated Nachman, who resides in Taipei. “Expect increased language and rhetoric concerning Taiwan from both the U.S. and China in 2026.”
In December, the U.S. revealed its biggest arms sale deal to Taiwan, totaling over $11.1 billion. China is against these sales, and Xi informed Trump on Wednesday that the U.S. should manage them with “care.”
A Chinese government statement from the call indicated that Xi highlighted Taiwan as the key issue in U.S.-China relations, asserting that China “will never permit Taiwan to be divided.”
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Trump stated in a social media message that he had a “great” conversation with Xi that was “lengthy and comprehensive.” He mentioned that they talked about trade, Taiwan, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, conditions in Iran, and Chinese buying of U.S. oil, gas, and farm products, among other topics, “all very positive.”