US allies fear Trump will trade Taiwan for Beijing deal — SkimNews
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- US allies in Asia are anxious Trump may soften US support for Taiwan in exchange for an economic win from Beijing at the September 24 Trump-Xi summit, according to interviews with officials, lawmakers and analysts in Tokyo, Taipei and Washington.
- Trump described US arms sales to Taiwan as a "negotiating chip" in May, and a $14 billion US arms package for Taiwan has sat awaiting his approval for months since he placed it in abeyance after his May meeting with Xi.
- Japan's leader Sanae Takaichi dispatched a senior foreign ministry official to Washington last week ahead of the summit, with two ruling-party lawmakers citing Tokyo's biggest fear as Trump signaling a softer Taiwan stance to lock down Chinese trade purchases he could sell to voters before midterm elections.
- Trump said Xi personally assured him China will not attack Taiwan while Trump is in office, and unlike Biden, has declined to say whether the US would defend Taiwan if China attacked.
- China has labeled Taiwan the "core of core interests" and never renounced the use of force; Xi raised Taiwan repeatedly with Trump at their May meeting, including arms sales and Washington's resolve to defend the island.
- Taiwan manufactures over 90% of the world's advanced semiconductors, and Malaysia's director general of national security warned during a Washington visit that the US and Western countries underestimate Taiwan's centrality to Beijing.
Why it matters: A single off-the-cuff Trump remark on Taiwan could embolden Beijing and alarm Japan, whose leader Takaichi has already said Tokyo could be drawn into a cross-strait conflict. With a $14 billion arms package still in limbo and Trump explicitly calling Taiwan weapons a bargaining chip, the September 24 summit gives Xi leverage over US commitments — and Tokyo is dispatching officials to Washington to lock in established diplomatic language before Trump speaks.
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