Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is set to speak by phone with former U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday morning, a government source said, shortly after Trump held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the contentious issue of Taiwan.
Trump is expected to brief Takaichi on the content of his Monday call with Xi, following Takaichi’s earlier statement in November that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response.
According to China’s official Xinhua news agency, Xi told Trump that Taiwan’s “return to China” is a central part of Beijing’s vision for the global order. In a post on Truth Social after the call, Trump highlighted progress in trade talks with China but did not mention Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai responded on Tuesday, asserting that for the island’s 23 million residents, a “return” to China is not an option.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters that “the stability of U.S.-China relations is extremely important for the international community, including Japan.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
