Taiwan says it remains confident of stable US ties ahead of Trump’s China visit

Taiwan on Monday said it is confident its relationship with the United States will remain steady, even as US President Donald Trump prepares for a high-stakes visit to China later this week where Taiwan is expected to feature prominently in talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump is scheduled to be in Beijing from Wednesday to Friday for a summit with Xi, with the status of self-governed Taiwan — claimed by China as part of its territory — likely to be a key issue on the agenda. Beijing has never ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said Taipei remains reassured by repeated assurances from Washington that its longstanding policy toward the island remains unchanged.

“We have maintained continuous communication with the United States, both through public statements and private channels. We are confident in the stable development of Taiwan-US relations,” Lin told reporters at parliament in Taipei.

He added that the US government has consistently reiterated that its Taiwan policy will not change.

Under US law, Washington is required to provide Taiwan with defensive support. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Lin said Taiwan is closely monitoring the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting, given its potential implications for regional security.

The issue comes amid renewed pressure from Washington for Taiwan to boost defense spending. The island’s opposition-controlled parliament last week approved a defense package smaller than what the government had requested.

A senior US official on Sunday expressed disappointment over the reduced allocation, saying the approved budget falls short of what Washington considers necessary for Taiwan’s defense needs.

Lin urged lawmakers to take corrective action, saying adequate defense investment is essential to Taiwan’s security strategy and regional stability.

“Peace depends on strength,” he said. “Taiwan must demonstrate credible self-defense capability to deter aggression.”

He also accused China of accelerating military expansion and pursuing increasingly assertive authoritarian policies in the region.