It reportedly took months to plan Trump's phone call with leader of Taiwan


The phone call between Donald Trump and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Friday was set up well in advance and provocative on purpose, people involved with the planning told The Washington Post Sunday.
The U.S. has a military relationship with Taiwan, but closed its embassy there in 1979, and leaders from the two countries have not spoken since. Beijing views Taiwan as a province, and suggested the phone call was a clear example of Trump's inexperience. Some advisers are calling on Trump to take an aggressive approach to relations with China, and many on his transition team are seen as being hawkish on China, including incoming chief of staff Reince Priebus, the Post says.
Plans for Friday's call were being developed before Trump even became the Republican nominee, people involved with the plan told the Post, and the goal was to set him apart from previous presidents. At July's Republican National Convention, the party platform included a phrase, inserted by Trump allies, that reaffirmed assurances made to Taiwan by President Ronald Reagan in 1982, as well as tougher language toward China. The call is being touted by the Trump camp as being a congratulatory call placed by Tsai, whose office said she told Trump she is hopeful the United States will "continue to support more opportunities for Taiwan to participate in international issues." Those close to the situation told the Post that while this was a calculated communication, it does not signify a formal shift in U.S. relations with Taiwan or China, and senior adviser Kellyanne Conway told reporters Sunday "everyone should just calm down."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The New York Times is also reporting that in September, a woman saying she was a representative of Trump's company went to Taiwan to get information on Taoyuan Aerotropolis, the biggest development project in Taiwan's history. The mayor of the area said investment opportunities were discussed, but no agreement was ever made. Trump Organization spokeswoman Amanda Miller told the Times there have been "no authorized visits to Taiwan on behalf of our brand for the purposes of development," and there were "no plans for expansion into Taiwan."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Glastonbury and the BBC: time for a change?
Talking Point Furore over Bob Vylan broadcast could 'mark the end' for streaming festival live
-
Hotels with kitchen gardens for a foodie weekend away
The Week Recommends Feast on seasonal produce straight from the veg patch at these country retreats
-
Succession planning as the Dalai Lama turns 90
In the Spotlight China 'determined to shape the narrative' around choice of Tibet's next spiritual leader
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Supreme Court lets states ax Planned Parenthood funds
Speed Read The court ruled that Planned Parenthood cannot sue South Carolina over the state's effort to deny it funding
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders