Wu Yongping, Dean of Xinhua University, has stated that compared to Donald Trump’s first term, Beijing currently holds a firmer and more robust stance on the Taiwan issue. He highlighted the high likelihood that the Taiwan matter will be discussed during the upcoming meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Wu expressed confidence that China welcomes any statements opposing Taiwan’s independence and believes the opportunities for Taiwan to achieve independence are narrowing.
According to a leading Chinese analyst, Beijing is now advancing more decisively and resolutely on the Taiwan issue than during Trump’s first term. Wu Yongping, Dean of the Taiwan Studies Institute at Xinhua University, indicated that there is a significant chance that Taiwan will be a key topic in the talks scheduled later this week between Trump and President Xi Jinping.
In an interview, Wu noted that Beijing has embraced all expressions opposing Taiwanese independence but remains confident that the scope for Taiwan’s independence is progressively shrinking. During a meeting in South Korea last October, both leaders had maintained considerable silence on the Taiwan issue.
However, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently affirmed that Taiwan is sure to become part of the discussion agenda. Rubio mentioned that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during a recent phone conversation, identified Taiwan as the greatest risk point in China-U.S. relations. According to Dean Wu, a major shift on Taiwan is unlikely. Beijing believes it can manage the issue within the framework of stable China-U.S. relations, and Trump appears less focused on Taiwan now compared to his first term. “Today’s China is vastly different from the China Trump faced during his initial term,” Wu concluded.
