Xi Jinping is preparing for negotiations with Donald Trump, during which he wants to achieve a change in the US position on Taiwan, writes The Wall Street Journal. According to the publication's interlocutors, during the trade negotiations, the Chinese leader plans to make Trump officially declare that the US «opposes» Taiwan independence.
Since coming to power at the end of 2012, Xi has made the reunification of Taiwan with Beijing a key principle of his «Chinese dream» of national rejuvenation. And he is no longer satisfied with the US position adopted by President Joe Biden's administration, according to which Washington «does not support» Taiwan independence. The ambiguous US «one China» policy, which recognizes Beijing's claims to Taiwan but remains neutral, is not needed by Beijing.
The spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the US, Liu Pengyu, stated that «China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges or military ties» between the US and Taiwan."
Xi believes he can sway Trump, who, according to Beijing, seeks to strike a favorable economic deal, to change his position on Taiwan, WSJ sources noted.
"Driving a wedge between Washington and Taipei is the holy Grail of the Taiwan issue for Beijing, — says Georgetown University professor Evan Medeiros. — It would undermine Taiwan's confidence and strengthen Beijing's influence on Taipei."
The recent deal struck by Trump and Xi for the sale of the social media app TikTok to American investors paved the way for a series of high-level talks. The leaders of the two countries plan to meet at the upcoming APEC summit in South Korea, after which Trump may visit Beijing in early 2026, and Xi — the US in December of the same year.
At the same time, US relations with Taiwan have become more uncertain. Unlike Biden, Trump mostly avoided directly answering whether the US would intervene militarily in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, stating that public comments would weaken his negotiating position. In an August interview with Fox News, Trump said that Xi promised him that China would not invade Taiwan while he is president.