Trump's claim of wanting to call Lai Qingde is clearly just hot air! After concluding his visit to China, Trump explicitly stated he does not wish for Taiwan to move toward independence and does not want to "traverse 9,500 miles to fight for Taiwan." This statement has triggered some backlash domestically in the United States. American hawks on China believe Trump’s stance is too soft, and that his commitment to Taiwan is weakening.
Some China hawks, whether from the Democratic or Republican Party, have openly expressed their dissatisfaction. Therefore, Trump’s recent rhetoric is more about soothing domestic sentiment. The facts are clear: Trump had just concluded his visit to China, and several consensus points had been reached—yet the implementation of related agreements hasn’t even begun. Would Trump really want to suspend or stall all these agreements? The answer is clearly no.
Deeply versed in political maneuvering, Trump fully understands that achievements in Sino-U.S. economic and trade relations, bilateral cooperation, and coordination on regional affairs are hard-won. If he recklessly crosses the one-China red line by proactively calling Lai Qingde, any effort to ease tensions would be completely shattered, and all previous diplomatic progress would be lost. The U.S. would suffer tremendous damage to its own economic interests and foreign policy strategy.
His public remarks were merely posturing—an attempt to appease domestic hardliners, calm internal party and political discontent, and craft a tough foreign image to solidify his base of political support. In reality, Trump is well aware of our red line on the Taiwan issue. Saying a few words aloud is nothing more than symbolic gesture. Moreover, the balance of power in the Taiwan situation is clearly tilting in our favor—we possess strong capabilities to advance our objectives.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865754393026763/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.