TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — No concrete plans have been made for a call between US President Donald Trump and President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) despite Trump publicly suggesting the two leaders could speak soon, Reuters reported Saturday.
Trump first raised the possibility of speaking with Lai after meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping last week and repeated the comment on Wednesday. The remarks reportedly surprised officials in both Washington and Taipei, according to people familiar with the discussions.
Sources said US and Taiwanese officials have since talked about arranging a call, but no plans have been finalized. Beijing has warned Washington that direct talks between Trump and Lai could damage US-China relations and undermine progress made during Trump’s recent state visit.
A direct call between sitting US and Taiwan presidents would be unprecedented since Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.
The Presidential Office referred to comments Lai made on Wednesday, in which he said he would tell Trump that China is undermining regional peace and that no country has the right to annex Taiwan. Lai did not confirm whether any call had been arranged.
The issue has emerged alongside uncertainty over US arms sales to Taiwan after Trump said he had not decided whether to approve a proposed weapons package worth up to NT$440.36 billion (US$14 billion). US officials have privately reassured Taiwan that Washington’s policy remains unchanged.
A senior Taiwanese official said China deployed more than 100 naval and coast guard vessels across East Asia on Friday, warning the move could be intended as a signal to Washington against moving forward with a Trump-Lai call.
