Taiwan Confident in U.S. Relations Ahead of Trump-Xi Meeting Amid China Tensions

Taiwan remains confident in its relationship with the United States despite rising tensions with China and uncertainty over Washington’s stance, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said Thursday. His remarks came just before U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea. The meeting is expected to touch on the Taiwan issue — a topic central to the rivalry between Washington and Beijing.

Since taking office, Trump has sent mixed signals about Taiwan while seeking a trade agreement with China. Although he stated that Xi assured him China would not invade Taiwan during his presidency, Trump has yet to approve new U.S. arms sales to Taipei. This has fueled fears in Taiwan that the island’s interests could be compromised in exchange for progress on trade.

Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Lin emphasized that Taiwan and the United States maintain strong cooperation and communication, particularly in the areas of defense and security. “We have confidence in Taiwan-U.S. relations and have close communication channels,” Lin said, noting that the government is closely monitoring the Trump-Xi talks.

Beijing continues to insist that Taiwan is part of its territory and has recently renewed calls for “reunification” under a “one country, two systems” framework. However, no major Taiwanese political party supports the proposal. President Lai Ching-te reaffirmed on Wednesday that Taiwan must firmly resist “the advancement of unification,” calling it an attempt to alter the status quo.

Lin echoed this sentiment, stressing that defending peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait remains essential. “The advancement of unification is meant to change the status quo,” he said. “We must continue to defend peace in the strait and safeguard Taiwan’s security.”