Taipei, Taiwan – The United States should increase and strengthen formal and informal contacts with the Taiwan government and the Taiwanese military during this period The second term of President-elect Donald TrumpRegardless of Beijing's inevitable reaction of “anger” and “hurt feelings,” analysts say.
Experts say exchanges between American officials and scientists, as well as members of think tanks, foundations and institutes, will be crucial to conveying accurate information to the American and Taiwanese publics and their governments.
On Thursday, a delegation from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute met with Taiwan President William Lai, Vice President Bi-Kim Hsiao, and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung.
Trump government chooses Taiwan and sends a strong signal to China
Taiwan President William Lai, right, meets with the president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and the David Truglio Institute in Taipei. (Official photo by Ai Chen Lin/Office of the President)
“We greatly appreciate the bipartisan support from our American friends and welcome delegations from the United States and like-minded countries,” Lin told Fox News Digital in exclusive comments.
The foreign minister added, “These visits demonstrate tangible support for Taiwan and contribute to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, which is essential for global security and prosperity.”
Speaking from Taipei, David Truglio, president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, told Fox News Digital: “We met with the President, Vice President, Secretary of State, and other government leaders to advance President Reagan’s legacy and our shared values. Freedom, democracy, economic opportunity, and peace through strength.” “.
President-elect Donald Trump delivers remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida on January 7, 2025. (Reuters/Carlos Barria)
Describing Taiwan as a “vibrant democracy and a major economic partner of the United States,” Truglio added that visits to Taiwan — by civil society groups, foundations, think tanks, and U.S. government officials — serve as “valuable opportunities to maintain relations with Taiwan.” “Taiwan's leaders are addressing challenges and opportunities and clearly promoting shared values.”
The Reagan Foundation, made up of national security and business leaders, met with representatives from all three of Taiwan's major political parties, as well as senior Taiwanese government officials, during a week-long visit to Taiwan, a self-governing island that has never been under self-rule. Communist China. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory and never misses an opportunity to make bombastic statements against what it calls “separatist forces.”
A screenshot taken from a video shows the Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army of China launching large-scale joint military exercises around Taiwan with China's naval ships and military aircraft on May 24, 2024. (Feng Hao/People's Liberation Army/Chinese Army/Anatolia via Getty Images)
Chinese President Xi Jinping's 2024 New Year's speech included claims that “reunification” was a “historical inevitability”, despite the two sides having ruled separately for more than 70 years. Beijing has refused to pledge to seek peaceful options only for the sake of “unity” and says it reserves the option of using military force.
While Foreign Minister Lin did not directly refer to pre-US election comments made by then-Republican candidate Trump that “Taiwan should pay us for defense,” he did not ignore the issue. In comments to Fox News Digital, Lin said: “Taiwan has increased its defense spending by more than 80% since 2016, reaching US$20 billion in 2024. In 2025, if the special budget for military procurement is included, Taiwan’s total military spending It is expected to represent 20% of the central government's annual budget, which is higher than the United States budget.
China officially 'doesn't care' about Trump win; Unofficially, experts say Beijing is uneasy
President William Lay meets with a delegation from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. (Official photo by Ai-Chin Lin/Office of the President)
This is the second time the Reagan Foundation has led a delegation to Taiwan in as many years. A recent poll by the Foundation showed that approximately 70% to 75% of Americans – Democrats and Republicans alike – would support strong measures if China made the unwise choice of using military force against Taiwan. For example, a large majority agreed that in the event of an attack, the United States should immediately recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state.
The current reality is that China faces major internal challenges and is not in a position of strength. In 2022, despite threats of “severe consequences,” then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited TaiwanThe Chinese response was not “terrible.” The following year, after Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, President Tsai Ing-wen met with then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during a stop in California, the first historic meeting between a Taiwanese president and a US House speaker on the United States. soil.
People walk past a billboard welcoming then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in Taipei, Taiwan, Tuesday, August 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Xiang Yingying)
China responded by holding three days of war games and a simulated siege of the island, but those exercises and maneuvers did not demonstrate any new capabilities that the US or Taiwanese defense ministries were not already aware of. Speaking after his meeting with McCarthy in 2023, President Tsai told the media: “In order to maintain peace, we must be strong,” in an apparent paraphrase of former President Ronald Reagan.
“China can exaggerate visits, especially those involving US government employees in their offices,” Liam Keane told Fox News Digital via email. “But we cannot allow the theatrics of a mock blockade and missile launches into the sea to in any way prevent close exchanges between the United States and Taiwan.” Ken, who is part of the US-based non-governmental Formosan Public Affairs Association, noted that his organization strongly supported and was instrumental in helping the Taiwan Travel Act pass Congress and be signed into law by then-President Donald Trump in 2018.
The Taiwan Travel Act – which China predictably strongly criticized – removed many of the previous restrictions on US officials' travel to Taiwan. “The law was passed unanimously in the US Senate,” Kane noted. “I believe that China’s description of it as a ‘red line’ only encouraged sponsors of the law like China.” Sin. Marco Rubio, Republican from Florida And (former) Rep. Steve Chabot, Republican of Ohio, which is absolutely the right way to respond to bullying by the Chinese Communist part.
Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung speaks to a delegation from the United States (Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Foreign Minister Lin told Fox News Digital that the Taiwan government looks forward to working with the new US administration. “Strengthening economic partnerships is also crucial,” he added. “Taiwanese companies, such as TSMC with its $65 billion investment in Arizona, are increasingly investing in the United States.” Lin noted that Taiwanese President Lai stressed the importance of Taiwan's global role, and Lin quoted Lai as saying: “The safer Taiwan becomes, the safer the world becomes.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
A war between the United States and China over Taiwan would be disastrous for both the great powers and the world. In addition to the huge human losses. Bloomberg Economics It has been estimated in 2024 that the “price” of such a war could reach about $10 trillion; 10% of global GDP – “dwarfing the hit from the war in Ukraine, the Covid pandemic, and the global financial crisis.” Increasing communication between the United States and Taiwan to build trust and convey accurate, bias-free information is a major key to ensuring such a conflict never occurs.
