TAIPEI (Reuters) -A Chinese takeover of Taiwan would also threaten U.S. homeland interests and would embolden Beijing to compete with Washington on the international stage, President Lai Ching-te told a conservative U.S. radio show and podcast in an interview.
The United States is Chinese-claimed Taiwan’s most important international backer, despite the absence of formal ties, but since President Donald Trump took office earlier this year his government has yet to announce any new arms sales to the island.
Trump could meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at a meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders in South Korea later this month.
Lai was asked this week on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show – which is carried on over 400 talk radio stations – what he would tell the U.S. president if he ever meets him, and he said he would advise Trump to pay attention to what Xi is doing.
“I would advise him to pay particular attention to the fact that Xi Jinping is not only conducting increasingly large-scale military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, but is also expanding military forces in the East China Sea and South China Sea,” Lai said, according to a transcript of his remarks released by the presidential office on Tuesday.
China’s increasing military activities further and further from its own shores are a challenge not only for Taiwan, Lai said.
“The challenge extends beyond merely annexing Taiwan. Once Taiwan is annexed, China will gain greater strength to compete with the United States on the international stage, undermining the rules-based international order,” he said.
“Ultimately, this will also impact U.S. homeland interests. Therefore, I hope President Trump will continue to uphold peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”
China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Lai’s remarks.
Given the lack of formal ties, Taiwanese presidents do not speak directly to or meet with U.S. presidents.
Lai rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s people can decide their future. China calls Lai a “separatist” and has repeatedly rebuffed his offers of talks.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Tom Hogue)
