Why Trump’s Shift From Decades-Old US Policy Is A Big Moment For Taiwan And Alarm Bells For China

Why Trump’s Shift From Decades-Old US Policy Is A Big Moment For Taiwan And Alarm Bells For China Published By, Last Updated: May 21, 2026, 18:31 IST But US President Donald Trump has once again signalled that he may be willing to upend that long-standing precedent. Rapid Read For decades, American presidents have largely maintained strategic ambiguity on Taiwan in order to balance support for Taipei without provoking Beijing. (Source: AFP file) For nearly half a century, a direct conversation between the presidents of the United States and Taiwan has remained politically untouchable. Since Washington formally recognised China in 1979 and adopted the “One China" policy, successive American administrations have carefully avoided official top-level engagement with Taiwanese leaders in order to prevent a diplomatic crisis with Beijing. But US President Donald Trump has once again signalled that he may be willing to upend that long-standing precedent. Days after concluding his visit to China, Trump said he would speak to Taiwan President Lai Ching-te. Lai responded by saying he would be “happy" to hold talks with Trump. If such a conversation takes place, it would represent one of the most significant shifts in US-Taiwan diplomacy since Washington severed formal ties with Taipei and recognised Beijing in 1979. Why This Matters Under the decades-old diplomatic arrangement, the US maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan while formally recognising the government in Beijing as the sole legal government of China. Because China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly threatened to take control of the island by force if necessary, even symbolic gestures by American leaders toward Taiwan are treated as highly sensitive by Beijing. Trump, however, has repeatedly shown a willingness to challenge diplomatic conventions surrounding Taiwan. Back in late 2016, shortly after winning the US presidential election, Trump broke with decades of precedent by accepting a congratulatory phone call from then Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. The move triggered a sharp protest from China at the time. Now, nearly a decade later, Trump appears prepared to test Beijing once again. China’s Sharp Response Following Trump’s latest remarks, China’s foreign ministry reiterated that it “firmly opposes official exchanges" between the United States and Taiwan, including American arms sales to the island. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged Washington to “handle the Taiwan question with the utmost prudence" and stop “sending wrong signals" to Taipei. The comments came after Trump revealed that he had discussed Taiwan during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Taiwan’s Growing Dependence On US Support Taiwan remains heavily dependent on American military and diplomatic support to deter any potential Chinese military action. Since Trump returned to office, Taipei has come under increasing pressure to raise defence spending and deepen investment ties with the United States. Taiwan has already committed billions of dollars toward upgrading its military and strengthening its domestic defence industry. The island’s parliament recently approved a $25 billion defence spending package, much of which is expected to go toward purchasing advanced American weapon systems. Trump has also suggested that US arms sales to Taiwan could be used as leverage in negotiations with China — a remark likely to further alarm Beijing. A Diplomatic Shift With Global Consequences For decades, American presidents have largely maintained strategic ambiguity on Taiwan in order to balance support for Taipei without provoking Beijing. Trump’s approach appears markedly different. His willingness to directly engage Taiwan’s leadership — and openly discuss the island during negotiations with China — signals a potentially major recalibration of Washington’s Taiwan policy. For Taiwan, such engagement offers greater international legitimacy and stronger political backing from Washington. For China, however, it represents a direct challenge to one of Beijing’s most sensitive red lines in foreign policy. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location: Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: May 21, 2026, 18:31 IST News world Why Trump’s Shift From Decades-Old US Policy Is A Big Moment For Taiwan And Alarm Bells For China Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...