Taiwan open to direct Trump–Lai talks amid rising tensions after Beijing summit

Monday 18 May 2026 - 11:45

Taiwan has said it would welcome a direct phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, as concerns grow in Taipei following recent remarks made after a high-level summit between Washington and Beijing.

The statement comes after discussions between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which Taiwan was reportedly addressed. Beijing continues to consider Taiwan part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification.

Taiwanese officials said Trump’s comments created some uncertainty, particularly regarding future U.S. arms sales and diplomatic signals. However, they emphasized that Taiwan’s core relations with the United States remain stable.

A direct conversation between a sitting U.S. president and Taiwan’s leader would be highly significant, as no such contact has taken place since Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry noted that if Trump intends to speak with President Lai, the island’s government would welcome the dialogue as part of ongoing unofficial ties with the United States.

The United States remains Taiwan’s most important security partner and arms supplier, although it maintains a policy of strategic ambiguity regarding Taiwan’s political status.

Analysts say the situation reflects ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, where relations between the United States, China, and Taiwan remain a central flashpoint.