Trump-Lai call remains unplanned after Xi Taiwan talksTaiwan talks
A planned phone call between Donald Trump and Taiwan President Lai Ching-te is not yet on the schedule, sources said, after Trump raised the idea following his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The issue matters because Taiwan is a central flashpoint in US-China relations and any Washington-Taipei contact can draw a strong response from Beijing.
US and Taiwan reporting
The reporting says Trump has spoken about calling Lai, but officials have not set a date. That leaves room for uncertainty about how Washington will balance ties with Taipei and its broader relationship with Beijing.
Chinese perspective
Chinese officials see Taiwan as a core sovereignty issue and closely watch any high-level US contact with Taipei. Xi’s message to Trump underscored that China expects Washington to handle the issue carefully.
- Taiwan’s formal diplomatic allies are few, but it maintains extensive unofficial ties worldwide.
- Beijing has never ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.
- US presidents often weigh Taiwan contacts against the risk of worsening ties with China.
US-China Indo-Pacific Rivalry
China and Taiwan coast guard vessels have repeatedly faced off near the Pratas Islands, with the latest standoff showing how small maritime incidents around Taiwan can quickly become confrontations.[1][5] The episode adds to wider U.S.-China military tension across the Indo-Pacific, where Beijing is expanding patrols and Washington is reinforcing regional deterrence.[2][3] The rivalry now centers on preventing miscalculation around Taiwan, the South China Sea, and nearby sea lanes.[1][3][5] It also shapes defense planning by Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and the United States as all sides weigh coercion, sovereignty claims, and the risk of escalation.[2][3]
24 May, 07:39 AM
Taiwan and China coast guards face off near Pratas islands1 January
The United States adopts a sharper great-power competition strategy focused on China
