Trump Spoke With Taiwan President in Break With Decades of U.S. Policy Leaders ‘noted close’ economic, political and security ties, Trump transition team said By Damian Paletta, Carol E. Lee and Andrew Browne

Posted By on December 3rd, 2016

http://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-spoke-with-taiwan-president-tsai-ing-wen-1480718423

WASHINGTON—President-elect Donald Trump spoke with the president of Taiwan on Friday, a conversation that breaks with decades of U.S. policy and could well infuriate the Chinese government.

The conversation between Mr. Trump and President Tsai Ing-wen runs counter to the longstanding effort by Beijing to block any formal U.S. diplomatic relations with the island off China’s coast. Chinese leaders consider Taiwan a Chinese territory, not a sovereign nation.

The Trump transition team didn’t give many details of the discussion but said Mr. Trump spoke with the Taiwanese leader, “who offered her congratulations.”

It is believed to be the first time a president or president-elect has spoken with the leader of Taiwan since diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei were cut off in 1979.

Mr. Trump offered an explanation of the call in a Twitter post: “The President of Taiwan CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency. Thank you!”

A short time later, he tweeted again: “Interesting how the U.S. sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call.”

Categorized under: FOREIGN POLICY.
Tagged with: no tags.

Comments are closed.