TURKEY PERSPECTIVE

Ankara, May 20, 2026. Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday his intention to speak with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, an unprecedented initiative since Washington transferred its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. "I will speak with him," Trump told journalists at Joint Base Andrews before boarding Air Force One, adding that he wanted to "work" on what he called the "Taiwan problem".

This formulation did not go unnoticed: Trump's language reprises the usual language of Beijing, which considers Taiwan a rebellious province to be reunified, by force if necessary. For Taipei, the signal is ambiguous. President Lai said on Wednesday that he would, if the conversation took place, reaffirm his government's commitment to maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. He also reminded that "it is China that compromises peace with its massive military buildup in the Indo-Pacific" and that "no country has the right to annex Taiwan".

The announcement comes a week after Trump's visit to Beijing, during which he described his relationship with Xi Jinping as "extraordinary." More significant, Trump indicated that he had not yet decided whether to follow through on a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan, leaving uncertainty over the depth of US commitment. His own advisors note, however, that he has already approved more arms sales to Taiwan than any other US president.

The Turkish press, via the Daily Sabah, frames this episode as a test of US strategic coherence. Washington is required, under US law, to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself. The island of 23 million people is the fourth-largest commercial partner of the United States, a position based largely on its exports of advanced semiconductors that fuel the global economy. These economic and security realities constrain the margin of maneuver of any occupant of the White House, regardless of their diplomatic tone.

The fact that Trump reiterated this intention a second time in a week, dismissing the possibility of a slip-up after his meeting with Xi, reinforces the reading of a deliberate move. Neither the White House nor the Chinese embassy in Washington responded to requests for comment at the time of publication. No date had yet been set for the meeting.