Trump’s shifting remarks on Taiwan are perfect for China to exploit

It has been an unsettling few days for Taiwan’s government. When Donald Trump met Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, many feared the unpredictable US leader could upend Washington’s longstanding support for Taipei. But beyond a starkly worded statement from Xi stressing China’s claims over Taiwan , which it claims as part of its territory despite never having ruled it, initial signs appeared good for Taipei. An uncharacteristically sheepish Trump skirted reporters’ questions on Taiwan after he and Xi emerged from their first talks on Thursday evening. A White House readout of the meeting made no mention of the issue. But that welcome silence began to unravel onboard Air Force One on Friday, when Trump told reporters he would soon “make a determination” on pending multibillion-dollar weapons packages to Taipei – provided as part of Washington’s commitment to help Taiwan maintain its self-defence capabilities. An interview with Fox News, aired later that day, provided further soundbites, as Trump declared he was “not looking” to “travel 9,500 miles to fight a war” in Taiwan’s defence. He then described weapons sales to Taipei as a “very good negotiating chip” for Washington with Beijing, adding that he was “not looking to have somebody go independent”. Washington has long maintained an ambiguous stance on whether it would defend Taiwan if China were to invade. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping on a visit to the Zhongnanhai garden in Beijing on Friday. …