Taiwanese officials told to curtail Washington visits as Xi-Trump summit nears
Taiwanese officials traveling to the United States have been told by Trump administration officials to "curtail their visits to research groups in Washington," the New York Times reported on Monday, injecting doubt into Taipei's longstanding claim that its ties with Washington remain "rock solid."
The report surfaced days before President Donald Trump hosts Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a summit in Washington on Thursday. Taiwan is expected to feature in their discussions, and Beijing has been pressing Washington to halt or further delay arms sales to the island.
Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang seized on the reported limits as a "wake-up call," warning that U.S. policy is driven by self-interest. The New York Times cited Brookings Institution senior fellow Ryan Hass saying the move reflected Trump's preference to ensure Taiwan did not become an "obstacle" to his ambitions in dealing with Beijing.
The pressure on Taipei comes as both Washington and Beijing make moves ahead of the summit that signal what each side wants from the meeting.
China's Ministry of Commerce, joined by four other government agencies, added two chemicals to its export licensing list for fentanyl precursors bound for the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The catalogue now covers 18 chemicals that could be used in fentanyl production, with licensing requirements applying only to North America. Fentanyl has been a core issue in U.S.-China trade negotiations since the Trump administration returned to power last year, according to the ministry's statement.
On the diplomatic front, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Germany to help steer the European Union away from protectionist measures against China. In a phone call with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul on Monday, Wang said Beijing and Brussels should not engage in trade wars and called on Berlin to play a positive role within the EU in upholding free trade. EU leaders are scheduled to meet in mid-October to assess the bloc's trade deficit with China and consider new policy tools to counter what Brussels views as unfair Chinese trade practices.
The United States, meanwhile, moved to tighten its regional alliances. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with counterparts from Japan and South Korea, issuing a statement that emphasized stability in the Taiwan Strait and a commitment to resist "economic coercion" — an implicit reference to China. The three countries plan new talks on economic security and enhancements to a trilateral supply chain early warning system.
For Taiwan, the convergence of these moves raises the question of what a summit between its principal security partner and the government claiming sovereignty over the island will cost. The reported curtailment of official visits is, so far, the most concrete signal.