Xi wants Trump to oppose Taiwan independence

Having set the stage for a year of high-level engagement with the Trump administration, Xi Jinping is now chasing his ultimate prize, according to people familiar with the matter: a change in US policy that Beijing hopes could isolate Taiwan.

The Chinese leader is hoping to capitalize on the recent agreement on TikTok’s future in the US and Mr Trump’s desire to secure a favorable trade deal to pressure Washington to abandon its support for Taiwan.

The pair have several meetings planned for the coming months. Last week, Mr Trump said the men were looking forward to meeting at an economic summit in South Korea next month.

President Trump is also expected to visit Beijing in early 2026. The Chinese leader will visit the White House at a later date. Xi is planning to use the upcoming meetings to attempt to convince Mr Trump to declare that the US is against an independent Taiwan.

China maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory and views the 110-mile Taiwan Strait as under its jurisdiction. Mr Xi has repeatedly said nobody can stop China’s “reunification” with Taiwan.

It has led Beijing to stage war games in the area and, in doing so, ramp up the pressure on Taiwan militarily, economically and diplomatically. The state department removed a Biden-era statement from its website saying it did not support Taiwan’s independence, a move praised by Taiwan’s government, while insisting the US opposed “any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side”.

In August, Mr Trump said Mr Xi had promised him that China would not invade Taiwan during his administration, adding: “China is very patient”. Xi has been using Russia’s battlefield expertise to prepare for a potential invasion of Taiwan, for which Western intelligence believes Beijing could be ready by 2027.

On Friday, it emerged that leaked documents suggested that Moscow had agreed to train and equip Chinese paratroopers for a possible aerial assault on Taiwan. Under the agreement, Beijing is to buy dozens of military vehicles and parachute systems to drop heavy loads from high altitudes, with troops taught to operate them.

The possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan has been talked about for many years. And while it is not imminent, and it is possible that a direct invasion never happens, it is definitely within the realm of possibilities.