US President Donald Trump said that a “fair trade agreement” could be reached between the two countries during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea next week. Trump also eased concerns about the Taiwan issue, stating that China has “no intention of invading Taiwan.”
During a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Trump signed a “strategic mining agreement” between the two countries to counter Chinese economic pressure.
However, on the same day, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer accused Beijing of “economic bullying,” saying Washington would “respond appropriately.”When asked by reporters whether the US military presence in the Indo-Pacific was enough to deter China, Trump said, “China doesn’t want to do that. We have the best of everything, and nobody wants to mess with that.” He also added, “I believe we will eventually reach a strong trade agreement that satisfies both sides.”
However, trade tensions persist: no resolution has been reached on issues such as tariffs, technology, and market access.
Trump’s statement that he will raise the Taiwan issue in the meeting has once again drawn diplomatic attention to this sensitive file.Taiwanese Foreign Ministry official Wang Liang-yu stated that communication with Washington is proceeding “very smoothly” and that the US has repeatedly reiterated its support for Taiwan.
China considers Taiwan its own territory and says it will not hesitate to use military force if necessary. Despite this, the US remains Taiwan’s most important arms supplier and political supporter, even though it lacks diplomatic ties.
