U.S.-Taiwan Relations: A Rock-Solid Alliance Amidst Rising Tensions with China

HONG KONG — Taiwan’s president emphasized the stability of the island’s relationship with the United States on Thursday, following a conversation between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump. During their dialogue, Xi reiterated China’s territorial claims over Taiwan and raised concerns about U.S. arms sales to the island.

Xi’s comments hint that Taiwan could emerge as a more prominent issue in U.S.-China relations, after having been relatively subdued in recent times. Despite the absence of official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the U.S. is a crucial ally and provides defensive arms to support the self-governing democracy that China aims to bring under its control.

“Taiwan–U.S. relations are rock-solid, and our cooperative projects will persist without alteration,” President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan stated to reporters, asserting that the U.S. commitments remain unchanged. Historically, Taiwan has been a point of tension in U.S.-China relations, yet it has remained lower on the agenda since Trump’s reelection amid a trade conflict between the two major economies.

Lev Nachman, a political science professor at National Taiwan University, noted that the recent Trump-Xi call signifies a likely shift in focus. With Trump’s planned visit to China in April, Taiwan is expected to become a focal point of discussion. “I think Taiwan must brace itself,” Nachman remarked. “There’s going to be more rhetoric concerning Taiwan from both nations as we approach 2026.”

In December, the U.S. declared its largest-ever arms deal with Taiwan, valued at over $11.1 billion, a move strongly opposed by China. Xi urged Trump to handle these sales with “prudence,” indicating their critical nature in U.S.-China relations. China’s stance remains firm—Taiwan is a central issue, and Beijing “will never allow Taiwan to be separated.”

Trump described the call with Xi as “excellent,” adding it was “long and thorough.” He mentioned they discussed a wide range of topics, including trade, Taiwan, the conflict in Ukraine, the situation in Iran, and China’s procurement of U.S. resources. Trump emphasized the importance of maintaining his good relationship with Xi.

This was the first interaction between Trump and Xi since a previous call in November. Despite Taiwan’s absence in Trump’s depiction of that call, their earlier October meeting at a summit in South Korea resulted in a year-long trade truce, with Taiwan reportedly not being discussed.

Although the spotlight may be shifting, Taiwan—the primary producer of advanced semiconductor chips—remains vital to modern economic growth. Nachman believes Trump understands Taiwan’s significance to the U.S. economy and would avoid jeopardizing this relationship.

Moreover, the open communication between Trump and Xi regarding Taiwan could help mitigate potential misunderstandings. “At the very least, this level of dialogue should minimize misinterpretations that arise from lack of communication,” stated Nachman.

Jennifer Jett serves as the Asia Digital Editor for NBC News, operating from Hong Kong.