Chinese leader Xi Jinping is reportedly ready to pressure President Donald Trump to make a major concession in upcoming negotiations: a formal U.S. statement opposing Taiwan’s independence.
Xi sees Trump’s eagerness for a trade deal as an opportunity to secure what would be a historic shift in U.S. policy — one that could weaken Taipei’s position internationally and strengthen Beijing’s push for “reunification,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
“Driving a wedge between Washington and Taipei is the holy grail of the Taiwan problem for Beijing,” former U.S. national security official Evan Medeiros told the Journal. “It would undermine Taiwan’s confidence and increase Beijing’s leverage over Taipei.
“Xi likely sees the coming period of interactions with Trump as the best opportunity to try to pull Washington and Taipei apart.”
The move would go beyond the long-standing American stance of “not supporting” independence and instead place Washington on China’s side of the sovereignty dispute.
“We have long stated that we oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side,” a State Department spokesperson told the Journal. “China presents the single greatest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
The report comes just a week after Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung made a call for the United Nations to formally recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation.
“As the United Nations celebrates its 80th anniversary — and with only five years remaining to realize the Sustainable Development Goals — it is time for it to fulfill its vision of ‘leaving no one behind’ and becoming ‘better together’ by including Taiwan,” Lin wrote in an exclusive on Newsmax before the U.N. convened for the General Assembly last week.
“Taiwan invites the world to ‘chip in’ and help by recognizing Taiwan’s rightful place on the world stage and embracing the contributions it has to offer.”
Since coming to power in 2012, Xi has made reclaiming Taiwan central to his “China Dream,” according to the Journal. Now in a rare third term, he appears to view the coming months as his best chance to move U.S. policy closer to Beijing’s position.
Trump has so far avoided explicitly committing to Taiwan’s defense if China invades, saying such statements could weaken his negotiating hand. In August, he claimed Xi assured him that China would not invade Taiwan during his presidency — but added, “I am very patient, and China is very patient.”
The Trump administration has also delayed military aid to Taiwan and denied President Lai Ching-te a U.S. transit stop, prompting concerns that trade priorities are outweighing security commitments.
“China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges or military ties,” Chinese Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu told the Journal.
Washington insists its One China policy remains unchanged, but recent statements and diplomatic actions have fueled speculation about a potential softening of support for Taipei.
The push over Taiwan comes as Trump and Xi plan a series of high-level meetings, including at the Asia-Pacific summit in South Korea and potentially reciprocal visits in 2026. At the same time, China continues its rapid military buildup while warning Washington against any “official exchanges” with Taiwan.
“No U.S. policy change on Taiwan will happen overnight,” the Stimson Center’s Yun Sun told the Journal. “But China will push persistently to inch forward — and in the process, undermine Taiwan’s confidence in U.S. commitment.”
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