In a significant and potentially contentious dialogue, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged U.S. President Donald Trump to exercise caution regarding arms supplies to Taiwan during their first conversation since November. According to a statement released by China's foreign ministry, Xi underscored that the issue of Taiwan is at the forefront of China-U.S. relations, asserting, "China must safeguard its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will never allow Taiwan to be separated. The U.S. must handle the issue of arms sales to Taiwan with prudence."
This warning came on the same day that Taiwan's President, Lai Ching-te, affirmed the strength of the island's relationship with the United States, declaring, "The Taiwan-U.S. relationship is rock solid, and all cooperation projects will continue uninterrupted," while speaking to reporters during his visit to textile merchants in western Taiwan.
Taiwan operates as a self-governing democracy, yet China claims it as part of its territory, insisting that it may resort to force for annexation if needed. Beijing has made it clear that it forbids any country with which it maintains diplomatic relations, including the United States, from establishing formal ties with Taipei.
Despite this, the United States remains Taiwan's most significant informal ally and arms provider, even though it does not officially recognize the island as an independent nation. In December, the U.S. State Department announced a historic arms sales package to Taiwan, exceeding $11.1 billion in value and comprising missiles, artillery systems, and drones, although this package is still pending Congressional approval.
China responded strongly to the proposed arms transaction, conducting military drills near Taiwan for two consecutive days at the end of December, deploying air, naval, and missile units in the region.
The arms sales have sparked opposition from Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) party and segments of the population, particularly concerning a proposed increase in defense spending to 3.3% of Taiwan's gross domestic product. However, the opposition-controlled parliament has obstructed Lai's budget proposal, which included a $40 billion special defense allocation, opting instead for a considerably reduced defense budget.
In a post on Truth Social late Wednesday, Trump described his conversation with Xi as "excellent" and "thorough," indicating that they discussed various topics, including the future of Taiwan, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the situation with Iran, and China’s import of American oil and gas. Moreover, he expressed anticipation for his upcoming trip to China in April, marking his first official visit to the country during his current term. He also noted that China is contemplating purchasing 20 million tons of U.S. soybeans this season, an increase from the previous season's 12 million tons.
