UPDATE 2-Trump says he will speak with Taiwan's president

We'll work on that, the Taiwan problem." Trump's openness to a conversation comes ‌after his trip to China last week, which the ‌U.S. president on Wednesday touted as "amazing." A conversation between Trump and Lai would be a significant diplomatic development as the U.S. and Taiwanese ⁠presidents ​have not spoken ⁠directly since Washington shifted diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei in 1979. Any ⁠direct U.S.-Taiwan conversation would likely anger China, which sees the democratically ​governed island as its own territory.

U.S. President Donald Trump ‌said ​on Wednesday that he would speak with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te. "I'll speak ‌to him," Trump told reporters. "I speak to everybody. ... We'll work on that, the Taiwan problem."

Trump's openness to a conversation comes ‌after his trip to China last week, which the ‌U.S. president on Wednesday touted as "amazing." A conversation between Trump and Lai would be a significant diplomatic development as the U.S. and Taiwanese ⁠presidents ​have not spoken ⁠directly since Washington shifted diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei in 1979.

Any ⁠direct U.S.-Taiwan conversation would likely anger China, which sees the democratically ​governed island as its own territory. After his meeting with ⁠China's President Xi Jinping last week, Trump said he has not decided ⁠whether ​to proceed with a major weapons sale worth up to $14 billion to Taiwan.

Under U.S. law, Washington ⁠is required to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself ⁠and both ⁠Republican and Democratic U.S. lawmakers have urged the Trump administration to continue with weapons sales.