Trump plans direct call with Taiwan president, first since 1979

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he intends to speak directly with Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te, a move that would mark the first direct presidential communication between the United States and Taiwan since 1979, when Washington shifted its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One that he would "talk with everyone" and work to resolve "the situation of Taiwan," adding that he had the matter "well under control" following his "fantastic" meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing the previous week. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Thursday that President Lai is "willing" to engage in dialogue with Trump, according to a statement sent to EFE. The island's government indicated Lai would convey to Washington its commitment to maintaining the "status quo" in the Taiwan Strait and emphasize that it is China, not Taiwan, that is "undermining peace and stability" in the region. Lai reportedly planned to reiterate that no country has the right to annex Taiwan and that the Taiwanese population seeks a "free and democratic lifestyle," while also emphasizing the need for continued US arms sales to ensure the island's security against Chinese military pressure. China responded to Trump's remarks by warning the United States to handle the Taiwan issue with "extreme caution." Beijing considers Taiwan an "inalienable" part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to achieve "national reunification," a key political objective of President Xi. According to the Financial Times, China is reportedly leveraging negotiations over a possible visit by US Deputy Defense Secretary Elbridge Colby to pressure the White House into halting an arms package to Taiwan worth up to $14 billion, which would be the largest in the island's history. Meanwhile, Raymond Greene, the director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto US ambassador to the island, sought to clarify Thursday that US policy toward Taiwan has not changed, reaffirming that Washington's approach remains grounded in the Three Communiqués, the Taiwan Relations Act, and the Six Assurances.