UPDATE: Ahead of Beijing trip, Trump downplays risk of Chinese invasion of Taiwan
New information reveals that the following story has emerged from the international scene.
A few days before his official visit to China scheduled for Wednesday to Friday, Donald Trump indicated on Monday May 11 that he intended to discuss several sensitive subjects with Xi Jinping, including American arms sales to Taiwan and trade tensions between the two powers. The American president also minimized fears of Chinese military intervention against the island, saying that his Chinese counterpart “knows that I do not want that to happen”. From the White House, Donald Trump confirmed that he would discuss the continuation of American arms deliveries to Taiwan directly with Xi Jinping. “President Xi would like us not to do it,” he said. Washington has maintained a policy of military support for Taiwan for several decades, without officially recognizing its independence. One of the principles of this American strategy consists in particular of not consulting Beijing on these arms sales. Trade relations in the background This trip will be the first visit by an American president to China since that made by Donald Trump himself in 2017. Initially planned for the end of March, the trip was postponed due to the conflict with Iran. Discussions between the two leaders should be dominated by trade relations, after several months of tensions marked by customs duties and various restrictions on trade between the two countries. According to a White House official, several leaders of large American companies will accompany Donald Trump, including Elon Musk, Tim Cook and Kelly Ortberg. Before the summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, Chinese and American negotiators, led respectively by He Lifeng and Scott Bessent, must meet in Seoul in order to continue economic discussions between the two countries. Beijing and Iranian oil The international context, in particular the crisis in the Middle East and the consequences of the standoff between Washington and Tehran, should also occupy an important place in the exchanges. China, the main importer of Iranian oil, remains particularly exposed to disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. Beijing affirmed on Monday that it wanted to “develop cooperation, manage disputes and bring more stability and certainty in an unstable and interdependent world,” according to Chinese diplomatic spokesperson Guo Jiakun. All our articles on Taiwan At the same time, tensions remain high between Washington and Beijing. The United States on Friday sanctioned three Chinese companies accused of providing satellite images used by Iran. The US Treasury also announced on Monday new sanctions targeting twelve individuals and entities accused of facilitating sales of Iranian oil to China. Beijing denounced “illegal unilateral sanctions”, while Guo Jiakun considered that “the most urgent thing is to prevent the conflict from resuming, not to use it to slander other countries”.
The Bigger Picture:
This report highlights significant developments in the international landscape that could reshape diplomatic relations in the coming weeks.
This is part of a broader trend that has been reshaping the geopolitical landscape in recent months.
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Source: This article was originally published in another language by 20Minutes – Actu Monde and has been translated and adapted for our global English-speaking audience. Read the original article here.