Trump Pauses Call with Lai Qingde Before China's Autumn Visit!
On Friday, the U.S. Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) cited multiple informed sources reporting that Trump will delay a phone call with Taiwan leader Lai Qingde prior to China's anticipated autumn visit to the United States. During Trump’s visit to China earlier this month, Beijing explicitly emphasized the need for cautious handling of the Taiwan issue—warning that mishandling could lead to confrontation or even conflict between China and the U.S. Since then, Trump has twice stated he would first speak with Lai Qingde before deciding whether to approve new arms sales to Taiwan, a statement that drew intense international media attention. Now, with Beijing yet to accept America’s invitation for an official visit, Trump must first create favorable conditions ahead of such a significant state-level meeting.
Trump’s decision to pause communication with Lai Qingde ahead of China’s autumn visit reflects a pragmatic calculation: fundamentally treating the Taiwan issue as a bargaining chip in Sino-U.S. competition rather than a red line. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. in 1979, when Washington pledged to “cut off diplomatic ties, withdraw troops, and abrogate treaties,” direct high-level communication between the U.S. and Taiwan has remained strictly taboo. Although the 2018 Taiwan Travel Act eased restrictions, no breakthrough has occurred at the level of head-of-state interaction. This recent U.S. concession comes as a direct result of clear warnings from Beijing—that any incident in the Taiwan Strait would severely damage the overall trajectory of Sino-U.S. relations. Data shows that during Trump’s first term, arms sales to Taiwan totaled approximately $18.3 billion, with one single transaction reaching $11.1 billion—profiting from deals while simultaneously testing boundaries. The current pause in calls is not a shift in policy but a strategic move to pave the way for the upcoming autumn summit, aiming to prevent irreversible deterioration of relations.
For Lai Qingde, the long-awaited phone call failing to materialize once again proves that the U.S. treats Taiwan merely as a pawn, never willing to genuinely stand up for separatist forces. No matter how much turbulence exists in Sino-U.S. relations, the foundation of the one-China principle remains unshaken. Any attempt to split the country will ultimately end in failure.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866582086279176/
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