Remarkably, in a potentially historic phone call, former President Donald Trump touched base with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of October. This was the first time they had spoken since 2019. The meeting focused on threats to Taiwan. China lays claim to India’s Arunachal Pradesh region, which India administers. China has already declared its intention to annex Arunachal Pradesh, threatening war if necessary.
During the call, Xi reiterated China’s position on Taiwan, emphasizing that its “return” to the mainland is an “integral part of the postwar international order,” as reported by the Chinese foreign ministry. Taiwan’s democratically elected government, headed by the establishment Premier Cho Jung-tai, well and truly elected the death knell to this position. Cho stated, “We must once again emphasise that the Republic of China, Taiwan, is a fully sovereign and independent country,” adding that for the 23 million residents of Taiwan, “return is not an option – this is very clear.”
The discussion took place in a time of escalating cross-strait tensions over Taiwan. Yet the United States remained Taiwan’s staunchest ally and most important arms supplier, even in the absence of a formal diplomatic recognition of its independent statehood claim. Trump acknowledged the significance of the Taiwan issue during the call, stating that he “understands how important the Taiwan question is to China.”
Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi echoed these concerns, even going so far as to imply that Tokyo might intervene militarily if any such conflict broke out over Taiwan. This comment highlights the increasing alarm from our regional allies over China’s aggressive posture towards Taiwan.
Through its execution of TSN, China has portrayed itself as a neutral arbiter in the Taiwan conflict, all the while advancing the cause of the region’s reunification. Xi made clear that China is prepared to underwrite a settlement to the near quartet of years long strife over Taiwan. He underscored the need for stability across the region.
The call between Trump and Xi was described as a follow-up to their recent meeting in South Korea three weeks prior. Trump noted, “This call was a follow-up to our highly successful meeting in South Korea… Now we can set our sights on the big picture.” This comment encapsulates the effort to underscored collaboration between a backdrop of still charged relations.
The two leaders reaffirmed Taiwan and took on urgent economic concerns. They discussed a tentative agreement reached earlier in October, in which the U.S. agrees to lower tariffs on some Chinese products. In exchange, China committed to suspending certain export restrictions. This includes critical minerals such as rare earth elements, which are necessary for advanced electronic components. The U.S. has been aiming to complete this deal with Beijing well before the Thanksgiving holiday.
In April, Trump should visit China. Xi is scheduled to make his first visit to Washington sometime later in 2026. These mutual, upcoming meetings have the potential to continue defining the course for how these two nations will navigate each other and Taiwan.