Trump says he would consult with China's Xi before speaking to Taiwan

[beijingwalker]

Trump says he would consult with China's Xi before speaking to Taiwan
By Euan McKirdy, CNN
Updated 0541 GMT (1341 HKT) April 28, 2017

(CNN)US President Donald Trump has said that he would want to consult with Chinese President Xi Jinping before speaking to Taiwan's leader.

In an interview with Reuters news agency, Trump said he wouldn't want to "cause difficulty" for the Chinese leader by again breaking with the "one China" policy.
"He's a friend of mine. He's actually a -- I think he's doing an amazing job as a leader, and I wouldn't want to do anything that comes in the way of that. So, I would certainly want to speak to him first," Trump said.
China does not recognize Taiwan's independence, and under the "one China" policy the US has a long tradition of respecting that stance.
Trump caused ructions late last year when as President-elect he accepted a congratulatory phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. As China launched an official complaint, Trump tweeted: "Interesting how the U.S. sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call."
Tsai recently told Reuters that another call between herself and Trump was a possibility. "We have the opportunity to communicate more directly with the US government," Tsai said in the interview, although she conceded that China's influence would be a consideration of Trump's.

On Friday, Taiwanese presidential spokesman Alex Huang said that she was responding to "hypothetical questions" in the interview and said Taiwan understands the United States' priorities in affairs in Asia, adding there are no plans for a phone call between Tsai and Trump.
Since coming to office, Trump's rhetoric on China has improved dramatically as he seeks the country's help in putting pressure on North Korea to stop its missile and nuclear tests.
"Well, my problem is that I've established a very good personal relationship with President Xi. And I really feel that he is doing everything in his power to help us with a big situation, so I wouldn't want to be causing difficulty right now for him," he said, referring to the increasingly tense standoff with Pyongyang.

Early diplomatic snafu
Shortly after his election, as President-elect, Trump had a 10-minute phone conversation with Tsai, a move that angered Beijing and upended decades-long US policy on China and Taiwan.
Washington officially acknowledges Taiwan being part of China and the People's Republic's status as the sole legitimate government of China, a stance that forms the basis of Chinese diplomacy and policy-making and determines Sino-US relations.
Beijing lodged an official complaint after the call. And in Communist Party newspapers, the reaction was harsh.
"No matter what the reasons are behind Trump's outrageous remarks, it appears inevitable that Sino-US ties will witness more troubles in his early time in the White House than any other predecessor," said an op-ed in the Global Times.
Before the call, no US President or President-elect had spoken directly to the Taiwanese leader since the 1970s, and the then-Secretary of State said the Trump transition team had not contacted the Department of State ahead of the call.
Despite being bullish on the future of the US' official position on the matter, Trump eventually reneged and committed to the decades-long policy.

Tsai recently told Reuters that another call between herself and Trump was a possibility. "We have the opportunity to communicate more directly with the US government," Tsai said in the interview, although she conceded that China's influence would be a consideration of Trump's.
On Friday, Taiwanese presidential spokesman Alex Huang said that she was responding to "hypothetical questions" in the interview and said Taiwan understands the United States' priorities in affairs in Asia, adding there are no plans for a phone call between Tsai and Trump.
Since coming to office, Trump's rhetoric on China has improved dramatically as he seeks the country's help in putting pressure on North Korea to stop its missile and nuclear tests.
"Well, my problem is that I've established a very good personal relationship with President Xi. And I really feel that he is doing everything in his power to help us with a big situation, so I wouldn't want to be causing difficulty right now for him," he said, referring to the increasingly tense standoff with Pyongyang.
Early diplomatic snafu
Shortly after his election, as President-elect, Trump had a 10-minute phone conversation with Tsai, a move that angered Beijing and upended decades-long US policy on China and Taiwan.
Washington officially acknowledges Taiwan being part of China and the People's Republic's status as the sole legitimate government of China, a stance that forms the basis of Chinese diplomacy and policy-making and determines Sino-US relations.
Beijing lodged an official complaint after the call. And in Communist Party newspapers, the reaction was harsh.
"No matter what the reasons are behind Trump's outrageous remarks, it appears inevitable that Sino-US ties will witness more troubles in his early time in the White House than any other predecessor," said an op-ed in the Global Times.
Before the call, no US President or President-elect had spoken directly to the Taiwanese leader since the 1970s, and the then-Secretary of State said the Trump transition team had not contacted the Department of State ahead of the call.
Despite being bullish on the future of the US' official position on the matter, Trump eventually reneged and committed to the decades-long policy.

 

[JOEY TRIBIANI]

Back to senses ?

 

[cloud4000]

Another Trump retreat. Political reality is starting to hit him in the face, realizing that being POTUS is nothing like being a CEO of your own company.

 

[beijingwalker]

He is a very nice boy now, we tamed him, American people should thank us.

 

[onebyone]

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday spurned the Taiwanese president’s suggestion that the two leaders hold another phone call, saying he did not want to create problems for Chinese President Xi Jinping when Beijing appears to be helping efforts to rein in North Korea.

In a White House interview, Trump brushed aside the idea after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen told Reuters on Thursday she would not rule out talking directly again to the U.S. president, an act certain to incense China. The status of self-ruled Taiwan is possibly the most sensitive issue between Washington and Beijing.

“Look, my problem is I have established a very good personal relationship with President Xi. I really feel that he is doing everything in his power to help us with a big situation,” Trump told Reuters, referring to signs that China may be working to head off any new missile or nuclear test by Pyongyang, Beijing’s neighbor and ally.

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“So I wouldn’t want to be causing difficulty right now for him,” Trump added. “I think he’s doing an amazing job as a leader and I wouldn’t want to do anything that comes in the way of that. So I would certainly want to speak to him first.”

As president-elect in early December, Trump took a congratulatory phone call from Tsai. It was the first contact between a leader of Taiwan and an incumbent or incoming U.S. president in nearly four decades, and Trump cast doubt on Washington's longstanding policy of acknowledging Beijing's "one China" policy, which asserts that Taiwan is a part of China.

The call angered Beijing because it fears contacts between Taiwan and leaders of other countries would confer sovereignty on the island. Democratic Taiwan, self-ruled since 1949, has no interest in being ruled by autocratic China.

Trump agreed to honor the "one China" policy in February and then hosted Xi at his Florida resort earlier this month.

Trump’s dismissal of Tsai's suggestion underscored the importance he is placing on enlisting China's help in defusing tensions with North Korea, which has become his biggest national security challenge since taking office in January, 100 days ago come Saturday.

On Friday, in response to Trump's remarks, Taiwan's presidential office said it had no plans "at this stage" to hold a call, and that it understood the United States had priorities in handling regional affairs.

Tsai's spokesman Alex Huang said in a statement that the government would not "overly limit" itself, but would pursue the island's best interest.

Tsai told Reuters on Thursday Taiwan's ties with the United States have been improving. She said Taiwan may need to buy from its sole arms supplier the F-35 fighter jet, the most advanced stealth warplane in the U.S. arsenal.

“We have the opportunity to communicate more directly with the U.S. government," Tsai said. “We don't exclude the opportunity to call President Trump himself, but it depends on the needs of the situation and the U.S. government's consideration of regional affairs."

Tsai said, “We don't rule out any items that would be meaningful to our defense and our defense strategy and the F-35 is one such item.”

But when told Taiwan’s president had said the island might want to buy F-35 aircraft, Trump said: “Oh, I haven’t been informed. I’d have to think about that. I’d have to speak to my people about that. They (the Taiwanese government) do buy a lot of equipment from us.”

China's Defence Ministry said on Thursday it was resolutely opposed to any country selling arms to Taiwan.

U.S. officials told Reuters last month that the Trump administration was crafting a big arms package for Taiwan that could include advanced rocket systems and anti-ship missiles to defend against China, a deal sure to anger Beijing.

But one of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said at the time the administration was not considering selling the F-35 to Taiwan.

The package is expected to be significantly larger than one that was shelved at the end of the Obama administration—valued at around $1 billion—but completion of a new deal could take months and possibly into next year, the official said.

The Global Times, an influential Chinese Communist Party-backed tabloid, called Tsai's government "a naughty child" in an editorial on Friday and said it would "strongly counter" any move to sell Taiwan advanced fighter jets.

“Each time the Tsai Ing-wen authorities step out of line they will pay the price, like a naughty child in class getting a stern reprimand for shouting out or smashing the glass at school,” it said.

http://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-reuters-interview-taiwan-china-aircraft-phonecall-591416

 

[lcloo]

Trump Says Good Ties With China More Important Than Taiwan Call - Bloomberg
by Ting Shi
@tshinfluxMore stories by Ting Shi
and
Samson Ellis

‎28‎ ‎April‎, ‎2017‎ ‎4‎:‎29‎ ‎PM

• Tells Reuters he would consult Xi before talking to Tsai
• Remarks deal blow to Taiwan’s bid for more U.S. recognition

President Donald Trump has curtailed Taiwan’s hopes for greater U.S. recognition, saying he would consult with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping before again talking to Taiwan’s leader.

Trump said in an interview with Reuters that having another phone call with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, like their precedent-breaking conversation in December, risked jeopardizing China’s vital cooperation on North Korea. He was responding to Tsai’s remark earlier this week that a second call was possible even though Trump was now in the White House.

“My problem is I have established a very good personal relationship with President Xi,” Trump said, praising the Chinese leader’s support on addressing the North Korean nuclear threat. “So, I wouldn’t want to be causing difficulty right now for him. I think he’s doing an amazing job as a leader and I wouldn’t want to do anything that comes in the way of that.

“So, I would certainly want to speak to him first,” he said.

The remarks are the latest sign Trump is abandoning his combative China rhetoric in favor of a more cooperative approach as he seeks Beijing’s help in pressuring its neighbor and ally. Trump earlier this month withdrew a campaign pledge to label China a currency manipulator after discussing North Korea with Xi in their first summit in Palm Beach, Florida.

Taiwan’s President Office said in a statement Friday that Tsai had no plans to repeat her Dec. 2 phone conversation with Trump. “We understand that the United States has priorities in dealing with regional matters,” the office said.

‘Back to Normal’
The phone call with Tsai was among Trump’s most provocative moves toward China before taking office. Top U.S. officials have for more than four decades avoided direct contact with their Taiwanese counterparts to maintain relations with China, which has regarded the island a breakaway province since their split in 1949.

The call seemed to indicate that Trump might support Tsai’s pursuit of greater international recognition for the isolated island of 23.5 million. Trump later reaffirmed his support for the so-called One-China policy in a phone call with Xi, paving the way for their meeting in Florida.

“It’s back to normal after taking some interesting initiatives in December,” said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, who heads Hong Kong Baptist University’s government and international studies department. “Trump is trying to accommodate both sides, more Beijing than Taipei of course, but without fully closing doors on Taiwan.”

Managing Disputes
Cabestan said Trump’s suggestion he might consult with Xi before speaking with Tsai suggested an openness to “co-management” of Taiwan disputes. No U.S. administration had suggested such an approach before.

Ruan Zongze, vice president of the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing and a former top diplomat in Washington, said Trump’s remarks were proof Xi’s trip to the U.S. had been “very successful.”

Trump’s interview further clouds the prospects for greater U.S. military support for Taiwan, especially as Xi is set to consolidate power at a Communist Party congress later this year. Taiwan, which has for decades relied on American security aid to deter China, plans to include F-35 fighter jets in its first arms request to the Trump administration.

Wang Ting-yu, head of the Taiwanese legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee, said that Trump’s suggestion he would speak with Xi before Tsai went against the U.S.’s traditional approach on Taiwan.

“We would like to send a strong reminder to an old friend that the United States’ own rules say that they cannot discuss issues relating to Taiwan with China first,” Wang said. “They must discuss them with Taiwan first. Those are America’s own rules.”

 

[terranMarine]

Tsai tried to get Trump on the phone but he refused to take it And people actually believe he will come to TW's aid should Mainland one day decide to take back control of our renegade island. Reality has hit Trump hard when Xi refused to talk to him on the phone unless he reaffirms the one china policy. Now Tsai wanted to talk to him on the phone again but he simply refused accepting the call knowing what is more important a powerful country of 1.4 bln people or a small island which is irrelevant in geopolitics.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

Trump Says Good Ties With China More Important Than Taiwan Call - Bloomberg
by Ting Shi
@tshinfluxMore stories by Ting Shi
and
Samson Ellis

‎28‎ ‎April‎, ‎2017‎ ‎4‎:‎29‎ ‎PM

• Tells Reuters he would consult Xi before talking to Tsai
• Remarks deal blow to Taiwan’s bid for more U.S. recognition

President Donald Trump has curtailed Taiwan’s hopes for greater U.S. recognition, saying he would consult with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping before again talking to Taiwan’s leader.

Trump said in an interview with Reuters that having another phone call with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, like their precedent-breaking conversation in December, risked jeopardizing China’s vital cooperation on North Korea. He was responding to Tsai’s remark earlier this week that a second call was possible even though Trump was now in the White House.

“My problem is I have established a very good personal relationship with President Xi,” Trump said, praising the Chinese leader’s support on addressing the North Korean nuclear threat. “So, I wouldn’t want to be causing difficulty right now for him. I think he’s doing an amazing job as a leader and I wouldn’t want to do anything that comes in the way of that.

“So, I would certainly want to speak to him first,” he said.

The remarks are the latest sign Trump is abandoning his combative China rhetoric in favor of a more cooperative approach as he seeks Beijing’s help in pressuring its neighbor and ally. Trump earlier this month withdrew a campaign pledge to label China a currency manipulator after discussing North Korea with Xi in their first summit in Palm Beach, Florida.

Taiwan’s President Office said in a statement Friday that Tsai had no plans to repeat her Dec. 2 phone conversation with Trump. “We understand that the United States has priorities in dealing with regional matters,” the office said.

‘Back to Normal’
The phone call with Tsai was among Trump’s most provocative moves toward China before taking office. Top U.S. officials have for more than four decades avoided direct contact with their Taiwanese counterparts to maintain relations with China, which has regarded the island a breakaway province since their split in 1949.

The call seemed to indicate that Trump might support Tsai’s pursuit of greater international recognition for the isolated island of 23.5 million. Trump later reaffirmed his support for the so-called One-China policy in a phone call with Xi, paving the way for their meeting in Florida.

“It’s back to normal after taking some interesting initiatives in December,” said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, who heads Hong Kong Baptist University’s government and international studies department. “Trump is trying to accommodate both sides, more Beijing than Taipei of course, but without fully closing doors on Taiwan.”

Managing Disputes
Cabestan said Trump’s suggestion he might consult with Xi before speaking with Tsai suggested an openness to “co-management” of Taiwan disputes. No U.S. administration had suggested such an approach before.

Ruan Zongze, vice president of the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing and a former top diplomat in Washington, said Trump’s remarks were proof Xi’s trip to the U.S. had been “very successful.”

Trump’s interview further clouds the prospects for greater U.S. military support for Taiwan, especially as Xi is set to consolidate power at a Communist Party congress later this year. Taiwan, which has for decades relied on American security aid to deter China, plans to include F-35 fighter jets in its first arms request to the Trump administration.

Wang Ting-yu, head of the Taiwanese legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee, said that Trump’s suggestion he would speak with Xi before Tsai went against the U.S.’s traditional approach on Taiwan.

“We would like to send a strong reminder to an old friend that the United States’ own rules say that they cannot discuss issues relating to Taiwan with China first,” Wang said. “They must discuss them with Taiwan first. Those are America’s own rules.”

Firstly please attach the link to the news article.

Secondly do Chinese members see this phenomenon of Chinese writers essentially writing exactly what Americans want?

 

[Mangus Ortus Novem]

Looks like President Xi explained rather well to Mr. Trump about the Real World beyond twitter zone reality.

Message recieved properly it seems.

 

[Kiss_of_the_Dragon]

Firstly please attach the link to the news article.

Secondly do Chinese members see this phenomenon of Chinese writers essentially writing exactly what Americans want?

Regardless of who wrote or any bullshit news on how is trying to cozy with China, we will judge Trump by his action and not by his word.

 

[ao333]

Regardless of who wrote or any bullshit news on how is trying to cozy with China, we will judge Trump by his action and not by his word.

Agreeable. Just look at how things turned out between Trump and Putin.

 

[C130]

Agreeable. Just look at how things turned out between Trump and Putin.

Trump and Putin are gravy.

Trump and Xi can make a deal regarding Taiwan. If Xi can do something about NK. which I'm starting to think China has lost control of it's guard dog, since they haven't stopped them from launching missiles.

 

[chengdusudise]

Trump and Putin are gravy.

Trump and Xi can make a deal regarding Taiwan. If Xi can do something about NK. which I'm starting to think China has lost control of it's guard dog, since they haven't stopped them from launching missiles.

N.k just is a wolf not our dog

 

[terranMarine]

Trump and Putin are gravy.

Trump and Xi can make a deal regarding Taiwan. If Xi can do something about NK. which I'm starting to think China has lost control of it's guard dog, since they haven't stopped them from launching missiles.

There's no deal regarding Taiwan, Trump got slapped in the face for accepting the call from Tsai. After he publicly said he fully support the One China Policy he was rewarded a phone call with Xi. Tsai wanted to talk to Trump but the poor old hag was told he refuses to talk to her (of course he gave the excuse of not wanting to give Xi trouble but we know better)

As for DPRK i already said Fat Kim is not our dog, we will deal with Fat Kim our own way and US can only watch and talk about more sanctions. US does not want to escalate to a full scale war, it's just trying to scare the fat kid. Well scare tactics is not working on him.

 

[T-Rex]

There's no deal regarding Taiwan, Trump got slapped in the face for accepting the call from Tsai. After he publicly said he fully support the One China Policy he was rewarded a phone call with Xi. Tsai wanted to talk to Trump but the poor old hag was told he refuses to talk to her (of course he gave the excuse of not wanting to give Xi trouble but we know better)

As for DPRK i already said Fat Kim is not our dog, we will deal with Fat Kim our own way and US can only watch and talk about more sanctions. US does not want to escalate to a full scale war, it's just trying to scare the fat kid. Well scare tactics is not working on him.

Fat Kim is being provoked. From the very beginning they have been staging war games at his doorstep. China should have stayed next to Kim but I guess the cost is simply too high.