US President Donald Trump’s two-day China visit was aimed at reducing tensions between Washington and Beijing, and were also described as a diplomatic breakthrough. However, that is unlikely to happen, as advisers to the Republican leader fear that China may “invade” Taiwan in the next five years, which could choke the AI power of American companies.
An adviser to Trump told Axios that Chinese President Xi Jinping is trying to move China into a position, aiming to give a message to the US that Beijing is Washington’s equal, and that “Taiwan is mine”. The adviser believe that China’s move could have large-scale implications on global technology markets and disrupt the global supply chains of AI chips.
“This trip signaled a much higher likelihood that Taiwan will be on the table in the next five years,” the adviser said while speaking to Axios. “There’s no way we can be ready economically โ the chips supply chain won’t be anywhere close to self-sufficiency. For CEOs, and really the economy as a whole, there’s no more pressing issue than the supply chain for chips.”ย
Trump’s warning sparks concerns in Taiwan
Notably, Trump also warned Taiwan against making a declaration of independence; although he stated that Washington’s policy regarding Taipei remains the same. In an interview with Fox News, Trump said he is not looking for wars and he wants China to cool down.
“I’m not looking to have somebody go independent. And, you know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I’m not looking for that,” he said. “We’re not looking to have wars, and if you kept it the way it is, I think China’s going to be OK with that.”
His remarks only caused concerns in Taiwan, with the country saying that it remains an “independent” nation. Speaking about American’s arms sales, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said it is a part of Washington’s commitment to Taipei.
Taiwan “is a sovereign and independent democratic nation, and is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China”, the statement by the foreign ministry read.
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