WASHINGTON — On Thursday, China issued a stern warning against any U.S. interactions with Taiwan, following President Trump’s suggestion of a potential direct conversation with the island’s leader.
President Trump, on Wednesday, mentioned the possibility of engaging in talks with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te. This comes as he deliberates over a proposed $14 billion arms deal with Taiwan.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded, stating, “China’s stance against official U.S. exchanges with Taiwan and U.S. arms sales to the island is consistent, clear, and firm.” He urged the United States to address the Taiwan issue with genuine caution.
China has long asserted its sovereignty over Taiwan, which operates with its own currency, military, and other hallmarks of a sovereign state. Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed a determination to bring Taiwan under Chinese control, even suggesting the use of force if necessary.
Under the U.S. “One China” policy, successive American administrations have recognized Beijing’s claims without explicitly endorsing them.
Historically, U.S. presidents have avoided direct communication with Taiwanese leaders to prevent tension with the People’s Republic of China. Nonetheless, Trump previously broke this tradition when he accepted a call from then-Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in December 2016, a move that angered Beijing.
“l’ll speak to [Lai]. I speak to everybody. We have that situation very well in hand,” Trump told reporters Wednesday when pressed about the arms sale.
“We’ll work on that, the Taiwan problem.”
Lai, who was elected Taiwanese president in January 2024, has been spearheading one of the island’s most aggressive efforts to build up its defense in years.
Following his visit to China last week, Trump described the arms package as a “great negotiating chip for us” with Beijing. He also ripped Taiwan, alleging that it “stole our chip industry.”
That led to criticism from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, particularly from Democrats.
Trump became the first US president to set foot on Chinese soil since 2017 when he met with Xi for two days last week. He has frequently boasted about his “great relationship” with his Chinese counterpart.
The Post reached out to the White House for comment.
