TAIPEI, June 17 (Reuters) – Taiwan said on Wednesday it was up to U.S. President Donald Trump to decide when to follow through on a proposal to speak with Taiwan’s leader, adding that the idea made China nervous.
Trump said following a summit with China’s Xi Jinping in Beijing last month that he would speak with Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te. No U.S. president is known to have spoken to a leader of Taiwan since the United States recognised China’s government in Beijing in 1979.
Speaking to the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents Club in Taipei, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said only Trump knows when a call may take place.
“We are ready to have a call at any time, but I cannot answer on his behalf,” Lin said.
“Of course, this topic has also made the Chinese communists nervous, because in their understanding, you are not allowed to do anything or have any contact” with Taiwan, he added.
“It is clear that the Chinese communists care a great deal about this matter, which makes it even more complicated. Still, I think none of us can answer this question on behalf of Trump.”
Beijing views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and objects to any form of engagement between Taiwan’s government and foreign officials. China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
Trump also said following his Xi meeting that he was still considering whether to approve a new arms package for Taiwan, which Reuters has reported would be worth some $14 billion.
Lin pointed to comments by U.S. officials about that sale still being under review rather than paused.
“The pace can be fast or slow; it could be one package or several packages. This is actually a more technical issue. But the Trump-Xi meeting has not caused the United States to stop or cancel arms sales to Taiwan,” he added.
The U.S. is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, and in December announced an $11 billion package, the largest ever, to the fury of Beijing.
(Reporting by Ben BlanchardEditing by Peter Graff)
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