Taiwan’s opposition casts doubt on ‘rock solid’ US ties ahead of Xi-Trump summit

Recent reports suggest that Taiwanese officials may face restrictions on their visits to Washington, raising doubts about the "rock solid" nature of US-Taiwan ties ahead of an upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The New York Times revealed that some Taiwanese officials traveling to the US have been instructed to "curtail their visits to research groups in Washington".

This comes as Beijing has been urging Washington to halt or delay arms sales to Taiwan. The proposed $14 billion arms package to Taiwan has been on hold for months, awaiting Trump's approval. Taiwanese opposition parties have seized on these developments, questioning the strength of US-Taiwan relations and criticizing the government's approach to Washington.

However, the Taiwanese government maintains that US interests align with Taiwan's, and Taiwan's Foreign Minister has echoed this sentiment. Despite the tensions, regular exchanges continue between the two countries, and Taipei's leadership is expected to transit through the US as part of their itinerary. Analysts suggest that the upcoming Xi-Trump summit may not yield a major deal on Taiwan, but will focus on managing differences and establishing boundaries to avoid a confrontation or further escalation between Washington and Beijing.