Taiwan President Lai Ching-te attends an event held to mark the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Progressive Party in Taipei, Taiwan. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Taiwan would “welcome” an opportunity for its leader to speak to U.S. President Donald Trump after he raised the possibility, a senior Taiwanese diplomat said Monday (May 18, 2026).
Mr. Trump told reporters on Friday (May 15, 2026) that he had to speak to the man “running Taiwan” — an apparent reference to President Lai Ching-te about arms sales.
Mr. Trump made the remarks to reporters aboard Air Force One on the way back to Washington after a summit in Beijing where Chinese President Xi Jinping had pushed him not to support Taiwan.
“I’m going to make a determination. I’m going to see,” Mr. Trump said in response to a question about whether he would go ahead with arms sales to Taiwan.
“I have to speak to the person that right now is -you know who he is – that’s running Taiwan.”
Taiwan Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi said the government was seeking confirmation from the United States about whether Mr. Trump wanted to speak to Mr. Lai.
“We will use all channels to understand what the U.S. side is actually thinking,” Mr. Chen told reporters.
“We would of course very much welcome it,” he said.
“If they are willing to talk with our President, I think that would be a very good opportunity and also a rare opportunity.”
In 2016, shortly after his first election victory, Mr. Trump accepted a phone call from then Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, angering Beijing.
It was the first call between a Taiwanese leader and an incoming or serving U.S. President since Washington switched recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, and it stunned diplomats, world leaders and China watchers.
Published – May 18, 2026 05:17 pm IST
