TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and President Donald Trump are preparing to speak on the phone on Tuesday morning, a government source said, soon after the U.S. leader and his Chinese counterpart spoke about the hot-button issue of Taiwan.
Trump is expected to explain to Takaichi the content of his call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, which comes after Takaichi’s remark earlier in November that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response.
Xi told Trump on that call that Taiwan’s “return to China” is a key part of Beijing’s vision for the world order, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported.
Trump touted progress in trade talks with China in a post on Truth Social after the Xi call but made no mention of Taiwan.
Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai said on Tuesday that for the island’s 23 million people a “return” to China is not an option.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters at a regular news conference on Tuesday that “the stability of U.S.-China relations is extremely important for the international community, including Japan.”
He declined to comment on Xi’s reported remarks to Trump about Taiwan.
(Reporting by Anton Bridge in Tokyo; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
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