TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – It is up to US President Donald Trump to decide whether to make a phone call to President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said Friday.
After visiting China May 13-15, the US president said he would soon decide on a package of US arms sales to Taiwan, and might want to speak directly with Lai. Neither side has since spoken of any plans for a phone conversation between the two presidents.
In late 2016, then-President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) called Trump to congratulate him on his election victory. Asked about the possibility of a call between Trump and Lai, Lin told reporters Friday that since Taiwan was the side receiving the call it would prepare for the event, but it was Trump who had the initiative, per CNA.
The foreign minister condemned attempts by China to give the false impression that the US and China were “managing” Taiwan together. In fact, Taiwan needed to “manage” China in cooperation with the US and with the whole world, in particular the countries in the First Island Chain, to prevent any unexpected situations, Lin said.
The minister said Trump had a special negotiating style, so attention should be paid to official reports of his China trip and to comments by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He also emphasized how Taiwan and the US maintained close contacts, CNA reported.
US policy toward Taiwan has not changed, Lin said. He added there was no concern the Trump administration would abandon its policy of selling arms to Taiwan as it would harm the US.
