Beijing stresses Taiwan position to Trump amid spiking tensions with Japan

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) held a phone call on November 24.

China’s official state media organization Xinhua News Agency reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump held a phone call on the night of Nov. 24.

During the call, Xi stated "China’s principled position on the Taiwan issue" and emphasized "Taiwan’s return to China is an important part of the post–World War II international order," Xinhua reported. The report quoted Xi as saying, "China and the United States once fought side by side against fascism and militarism, and today they should work together to safeguard the fruits of the victory of World War II.”

China sees self-ruled Taiwan (officially the Republic of China) as a breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control.

Xinhua reported that during the call, President Trump said, “China played an important role in achieving victory in World War II, and the US understands how important the Taiwan issue is to China.”

President Trump confirmed the call with Xi on his Truth Social account, saying, "We discussed many topics including Ukraine/Russia, Fentanyl, Soybeans and other Farm Products."

He added that President Xi invited him to visit Beijing next April. However, Trump’s post did not say that Taiwan had been raised during the call.

Each side gets what it wants

Professor Li Da-jung (李大中), Director of the Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies at Taiwan's Tamkang University, told TCN that both sides “took what they needed” from the phone call, each emphasizing the points they wanted to highlight afterward. This, Li said, is unsurprising given the pattern of US-China interactions this year.

Li noted that the broader context of the call is closely linked to the recent remarks by Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, which triggered renewed tensions between China and Japan.

Takaichi suggested in early November that Chinese military action against Taiwan could prompt a Japanese military response.

Li said that this year, Beijing has repeatedly pushed its narrative that Taiwan’s return to China is an important component of the post–World War Two international order.

Beijing's propaganda 

Professor Wang Hung-jen (王宏仁) of the Department of Political Science at Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University told TCN that Beijing’s intentions lean heavily toward a propaganda strategy aimed at domestic audiences.

He said the wording of the Chinese statement clearly attempts to establish a definitive narrative by framing the issue as preventing the resurgence of right-wing forces or militarism, and presenting China and the US as once again jointly standing against fascism. Wang said the Chinese statement extends the narrative Beijing used in the Trump and Xi meeting in Busan on October 30, which he said is aimed to convey the idea that China and the US have effectively become a “G2”, two great powers on equal footing capable of jointly managing global or regional affairs.

Particularly on the question of Taiwan, Wang noted, Xinhua claimed Trump said the US “understands the importance of the Taiwan issue to China.” 

Wang argued that this is exactly what Xi Jinping wants, something Beijing can present domestically and internationally as evidence that Washington agrees with China’s position. 

Li added that Beijing hopes Washington’s statements and stance on the Taiwan issue can be brought closer to its own position, or at least expressed in a more restrained or ambiguous manner. 

Li noted that Trump’s recent remarks regarding Taiwan appear to be shifting toward a more traditional “strategic ambiguity,” along with efforts to downplay the likelihood of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait.

Strategic ambiguity refers to the US policy of not clearly stating whether it would send troops to assist Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack.

China-Japan tensions rise

On Nov. 7, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated in Japan’s National Diet, the national legislature of Japan, that if a war breaks out in the Taiwan Strait, Japan could deploy its military, the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), under the justification of a “situation threatening Japan’s survival,” exercising the right of collective self-defense.

Takaichi reiterated her position on November 10 and refused to retract her remarks.

The statement triggered a strong protest from Beijing. On Nov. 23, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (王毅) said Takaichi’s comments “touched a bottom line that must not be touched,” and that China “must deliver a firm response” to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Takaichi’s remarks led to a rapid freezing in China-Japan relations. Beijing has responded by calling on Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to Japan, suspending imports of Japanese seafood, and launching military exercises in the Yellow Sea, which separates China and the Korean Peninsula, starting Nov. 23. 

Professor Wang Hung-jen said Beijing’s decision to push for a call with Washington at this time reflects how seriously China views its claims over Taiwan, particularly after the Japanese prime minister publicly stated that Japan might intervene militarily in a Taiwan Strait conflict. “There is no doubt Beijing would raise Taiwan in the call,” Wang said.

Wang added that Beijing may also hope the US will restrain Japan’s actions or rhetoric. “Beijing likely wants Trump to make a clear statement on this matter,” Wang said. “But the chances of Washington doing so are low, because doing so would make the US look like China’s messenger,” Wang added.

Wang said it appears Washington has held its bottom line: “For Trump, Taiwan is not a priority. He believes China and the US should focus on what they’re currently negotiating. The US did not criticize or contradict Beijing, but rather sidestepped the question of Taiwan entirely.”



The possibility of armed conflict

Professor Wang suggested that current China-Japan tensions could continue for some time.

Wang noted a previous 2012 disagreement following Japan’s nationalization of the disputed Diaoyutai Islands; China and Japan remained locked in tensions for five years before relations thawed. 

In 2012, the Japanese government purchased the Diaoyutai Islands from private owners. Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) claim sovereignty over the islands.

Wang said Beijing may wait to see whether the US takes a clear stance. If Washington leans toward Beijing, that would give President Xi Jinping an off-ramp and allow China and the US to return to what Beijing sees as the “right path” heading into Trump’s expected visit to China in April.

“If not,” Wang said, “Beijing will continue to pressure Japan, possibly until Takaichi steps down.” 

He added that if escalation continues, “a limited-scale military clash between China and Japan cannot be ruled out.”

Trump-Takaichi call

A few hours after Trump’s call with Xi Jinping, Trump spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

According to the Financial Times, Takaichi said Trump and Takaichi exchanged views on strengthening the Japan-US alliance, as well as on the situation and various challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region.

Takaichi did not say whether Taiwan was discussed during the call, per Financial Times.

Professor Li said the Trump-Takaichi call should be seen as an important balancing move in US diplomacy that provides reassurance to Japan and maintains US-Japan alignment. 

Professor Wang noted that from Washington’s perspective, Japan’s actions fall within Tokyo’s sovereign decision-making. “China’s hope that the US could restrain Japan is unlikely to succeed,” Wang said.

Implications for Taiwan

Professor Li Da-jung said the current situation shows that Trump’s top priorities remain trade, tariffs, and technology negotiations with China, and that Taiwan ranks below these major issues in the broader context of US-China relations.

To some extent, Li said, the Trump administration is handling Taiwan with caution and restraint. Taiwan, he emphasized, will need to closely monitor the interplay between US-Taiwan relations and overall US-China dynamics.