President of the United States Donald Trump has stated that he will hold a conversation with Taiwan’s leader Lai Ching-te, while the US administration is also reviewing a multi-billion-dollar arms deal for the island.
Such communication would represent a major shift in US diplomatic practice, as no American president has spoken directly with a Taiwanese leader since 1979, when Washington officially recognized China and cut formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump said: “I will speak with him. I speak with everyone. We have the situation very well under control.”
“We will work on this, the Taiwan issue,” the US president added.
Taiwanese authorities responded positively to the statement, saying on Thursday that Lai Ching-te would be willing and pleased to speak with Trump.
Trump’s comments come just days after his state visit to Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of the “Taiwan issue” in relations between the two countries.
