WASHINGTON: The head of Taiwan’s National Security Council arrived in the United States for talks with President Donald Trump’s administration, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday ( Apr 4), days after China’s military concluded war games around Taiwan.
Joseph Wu was leading a group for a gathering known as the” specific channel”, the Financial Times reported earlier. It marked Trump’s first use of the stream since returning to the White House on Jan 20.
Earlier this month, China’s defense concluded two-day warfare games around Taiwan in which it held long-range, live-fire training in the East China Sea, marking an increase of activities around the area.
Taiwan has denounced China for holding the training. The United States, Taiwan’s most significant global supporter and major arms dealer despite the lack of formal diplomatic relations, condemned the latest activities earlier this year.
Taiwan is only one region of tension between the United States and China whose relations have been tested by many problems such as individual privileges, the origins of COVID-19 and business tariffs, including measures put in place by Trump this year.
Trump’s taxes this year even disturbed Taiwan which called them absurd.
Trump has also been important of Taiwan for taking US silicon company, saying he wants the industry to rebase to the United States. Taiwan’s major security established has said the Trump administration’s support for Taiwan remains “very powerful”.
China has stepped up rhetoric against Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, calling him a “parasite” on Tuesday ( Apr 1 ) in the wake of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Asia visit, during which he repeatedly criticised Beijing.
The White House and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
China views politically governed Taiwan as its own place and has repeatedly denounced Lai as a” dissident”. Lai, who won election next year, rejects Beijing’s independence statements and says merely Taiwan’s people can choose their potential.