Slotkin Warns Trump’s Beijing Trip Could Weaken U.S. Taiwan Backing as Xi Summit Nears
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · May 12
Slotkin Warns Trump’s Beijing Trip Could Weaken U.S. Taiwan Backing as Xi Summit Nears
7 articles · Updated · POLITICO · May 12
Trump’s planned Beijing trip should make Taiwan “nervous,” Senator Elissa Slotkin said, warning he could inadvertently signal weaker U.S. support for the self-governing island during a summit he has called potentially historic.
A subtle wording shift—such as moving from “we do not support Taiwan independence” to “we oppose Taiwan independence”—could be read as a meaningful policy change by Beijing, Taipei and U.S. allies.
Slotkin said Trump’s China approach has been erratic, swinging between tariff threats and praise for Xi, raising the risk he could “fall into a trap” in talks.
The warning comes as Washington tries to preserve its long-standing balance on Taiwan: acknowledging the island’s distinct status without endorsing independence, which China says could trigger war.
It also highlights a broader contradiction in Trump’s second-term China policy, which has downplayed Beijing as a top security threat even after punitive tariffs briefly reignited a trade war.
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