&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump to meet Xi Jinping: Will there be straight talk on Taiwan? This is what we know")
As US President Donald Trump prepares for a closely watched summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, diplomats and analysts are increasingly concerned that even a slight shift in language on Taiwan could trigger major geopolitical consequences. Trump has described the upcoming talks as “potentially historic”, but allies of Washington fear the meeting could become historic for another reason.
According to diplomats from Asian and European countries, there is anxiety that Trump’s unpredictable style and tendency for unscripted remarks may inadvertently weaken decades of carefully balanced US policy on Taiwan.
“It will be a great success for Xi to make Trump say something good for China in public like ‘I support peaceful unification’ or ‘I oppose the independence of Taiwan,’” one Asian diplomat told Politico. “Trump is Trump, off script all the time. Let’s pray nothing disastrous happens,” they added.
The US has long maintained a policy of recognising Taiwan as distinct from mainland China while avoiding explicit support for Taiwanese independence. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and has repeatedly warned that any formal backing for independence could provoke war.
China experts believe Beijing may try to push Trump into altering a key phrase in longstanding US policy. Analysts say changing the wording from “we do not support Taiwan independence” to “we oppose Taiwan independence” would carry major strategic implications.
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‘Trump doesn’t operate with that level of precision’
Jonathan Czin, a former CIA China analyst now with the Brookings Institution, said the distinction may sound minor but could significantly alter diplomatic interpretations. “Trump doesn’t operate with that level of precision,” he warned.
Officials close to the White House told reporters that advisers are urging Trump to avoid any deviation from established Taiwan policy. One source said briefing materials are focused on preserving the status quo and minimising discussion of Taiwan during the summit.
