TAIPEI — In the wake of a high-stakes call between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai publicly stated that a ‘return’ to China is not an option for Taiwan’s 23 million people. The remark follows Xi’s description of Taiwan’s reunification as ‘an integral part of the postwar international order’ during the conversation with the U.S. president.
Cho, the head of Taiwan’s government, reaffirmed Taipei’s stance that sovereignty would be defended and that any talks of reunification under Beijing’s terms are unacceptable for Taiwan’s democratic government.
Reports about the Xi-Trump call indicated that Trump did not mention Taiwan in his readout, underscoring the nuanced and evolving cross-strait rhetoric as Washington positions itself in relation to Beijing and Taipei.
The exchange highlights the broader strategic tension in the Taiwan Strait, where Taiwan seeks to safeguard its democracy and de facto independence while navigating Beijing’s insistence on reunification and Washington’s cautious-but-supportive stance.
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