Trump\u2019s interview with Bloomberg will call into question Washington\u2019s support for the island democracy should he win back the White House<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Donald Trump has said Taiwan should pay the US for protection from China, calling into question Washington\u2019s support for the island democracy should he win back the White House in November\u2019s presidential election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response to Trump\u2019s comments, premier Cho Jung-tai said Taiwan<\/a> and the US have good relations despite the lack of formal ties, but added that Taiwan was increasing its capabilities to defend itself. .<\/p>\n\n\n\n In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek on Tuesday, Trump was asked if he would defend Taiwan against China if he wins the US election in November. China\u2019s ruling Communist party claims Taiwan as a province\u2002<\/a>and has vowed to annex it, refusing to rule out the use of military force. The US does not formally recognise Taiwan but is it\u2019s most important security partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In response to the question Trump said<\/a> Taiwan should be paying the US to defend it, that the US was \u201cno different than an insurance company\u201d and that Taiwan \u201cdoesn\u2019t give us anything\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The US sells Taiwan billions of dollars in weapons under legislative obligations<\/a> to provide it with the means to defend itself. These sales markedly increased under Trump\u2019s presidency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, Trump\u2019s comments on Tuesday suggest his support for Taiwan is not guaranteed. Trump noted China\u2019s increased military aggression towards Taiwan, said he, \u201cwouldn\u2019t feel too secure if I was [Taiwan]\u201d, and questioned why the US was acting as Taiwan\u2019s \u201cinsurance\u201d when, he claimed, they had taken American chip business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Without evidence, Trump repeated accusations that Taiwan had taken \u201calmost 100%\u201d of the US\u2019s semiconductor industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taiwan produces more than 90% of the world\u2019s most advanced chips, mostly through the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), the world\u2019s largest producer and a major Apple and Nvidia supplier. TSMC is spending billions building new factories overseas, including $65bn on three plants in the US state of Arizona, though it says most manufacturing will remain in Taiwan. TSMC\u2019s shares were down 2.4% on Wednesday\u2019s close. The broader market ended down 1%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Responding to Trump on Wednesday, Taiwan\u2019s Premier, Cho Jung-tai, told a press briefing that Taiwan was grateful to the US for its support, and that Taiwan was \u201cworking hard\u201d to maintain the relationship while also increasing their self-defence capabilities and \u201cas a member of the international community\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTaiwan and the US share a common responsibility for the Indo-Pacific region of the Taiwan Strait, and we are willing to do more to defend ourselves and protect our security,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cho also said the government hoped and expected that Taiwanese chip manufacturers would keep their R&D in Taiwan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cR&D staying in Taiwan is the best option, and the government will maintain such an environment and continue to work with the industry,\u201d he said, inviting other foreign companies to set up in Taiwan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trump\u2019s comments added to signs that the US approach to China could be hawkish \u2013 but potentially unpredictable \u2013 should he win in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Elsewhere in the interview the former president pledged that he would impose tariffs on China of between 60 and 100%, but that he would back down on banning the China-owned app, TikTok. He also said China\u2019s leader Xi Jinping was \u201ca very good friend of mine\u201d until the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trump\u2019s newly announced running mate, JD Vance, told Fox News on Tuesday the US should be focused on China as its greatest security threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou have to ask yourself, is China going to be more dissuaded by us thumping our chests and acting tough in Europe, or are they going to be more dissuaded by us having the weapons necessary to prevent them from invading Taiwan?\u201d Vance said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Official US policy towards Taiwan is \u201cstrategic ambiguity\u201d, which refuses to state if they would come to its defence in the event of a Chinese attack, however Biden has said on several occasions he would defend Taiwan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n