TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Democratic members of the Select Committee on the CCP on Wednesday warned ahead of US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping that Taiwan’s security and US commitments in the Indo-Pacific must not be used as bargaining chips in negotiations with Beijing.
The committee said the Trump administration has not held any public consultations on a potential US-China agreement or briefed Congress on the matter. It also noted the administration has yet to clarify what it hopes to gain from China or what Trump may be willing to concede during the negotiations.
Ranking Member of the Select Committee, Ro Khanna, stressed that “The security and will of Taiwan’s people must under no circumstance be used as a bargaining chip.” Khanna said that any indication that Washington could compromise its commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait would embolden aggression and raise the risk of a "conflict that Americans resoundingly want to prevent.”
Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi said that the White House should not make any changes to US policy on Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act and Six Assurances. He also said that Trump should not weaken export controls aimed at protecting US national security by slowing the PLA's military buildup, curbing human rights abuses, and preserving America’s edge in the AI race.
Representative Kathy Castor urged Trump to advocate for US interests without weakening US economic security, human rights, or stability in the Indo-Pacific. Castor said the president should make it clear that Washington will not ignore China’s human rights violations, especially its treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.
“AUKUS and the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network are two of our strongest partnerships and are essential to confronting any threat posed by the CCP,” said Representative Andre Carson, a senior member of the House Intelligence Committee. Carson encouraged Trump to reaffirm these networks ahead of the summit and to continue fortifying the Indo-Pacific alliances.
