During their inaugural White House summit on September 24, Chinese leader Xi Jinping pressed US President Donald Trump to explicitly "oppose" Taiwan independence. This marked Xi's first public call for Trump to alter Washington's long-standing position on the self-ruled island, with Xi stating the US should "adhere to the correct position of opposing Taiwan independence." This sentiment was echoed in official Chinese state media reports.
This suggested wording represents a significant shift from the Biden administration's previous stance that US officials "do not support" Taiwan seeking formal independence. According to Bloomberg Economics' Jennifer Welch, who served on the National Security Council, while seemingly a semantic change, its impact would be meaningful. China would likely use such a declaration to undermine Taiwan's confidence in US support, as "Opposing 'Taiwan independence' implies an active effort to contain what Beijing sees as pro-independence forces."
The call comes as Beijing is adjusting its strategy regarding Taiwan, reducing overt military aggression while intensifying diplomatic isolation. Concerns are rising that Washington's position on Taiwan could become a bargaining chip in US-China relations, especially after Trump delayed a planned $14 billion arms package for Taiwan. Trump had previously referred to the arms deal as "a very good negotiating chip" for the US after a prior meeting with Xi in Beijing.
