U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) discussed trade, military issues, a potential April visit to China, Taiwan, and the Russia-Ukraine war during a phone call on Wednesday, Trump posted on his social media platform. 

Xinhua News reported Xi emphasizing Taiwan as the most important U.S.-China issue, stating that “Taiwan is Chinese territory,” adding that Beijing must defend sovereignty and territorial integrity and that the U.S. must handle arms sales to Taiwan cautiously.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) addressed the call on Thursday before a textiles industry meeting in Changhua, telling reporters that U.S.-China-Taiwan relations remain unchanged in four ways: The Republic of China (ROC) and People's Republic of China (PRC) are not subordinate, and Taiwan is not part of the PRC; U.S. commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act and six assurances hold firm; U.S. Indo-Pacific peace efforts continue; and Taiwan-U.S. cooperation endures. Lai said, “The United States, based on its national security strategy and defense strategy, allies with friendly nations for collective defense, burden-sharing, and maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific – this direction remains unchanged. Fourth, Taiwan-US relations are rock-solid, and all cooperation programs will continue without change.”

Lai linked Xi’s arms sales remark to opposition parties blocking a military purchase bill 10 times in the Legislature, saying that for Xi, accepting the 1992 Consensus means embracing one-China, with no space for the ROC’s “one country, two systems” interpretation, effectively advancing unification. He urged passing the central budget and the special defense budget first, if cross-strait exchanges and cooperation are to proceed without endangering Taiwan.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry affirmed U.S. commitments, arms sales normalization under Trump, and recent Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue (EPPD) results, including joint statements on the Pax Silica Declaration and Taiwan-U.S. Economic Security Cooperation. 

A White House official explained via email that U.S. policy towards Taiwan had not changed based on the Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S.-PRC Three Communiqués, and Six Assurances – consistent with Trump’s first term.