Taiwan says President Lai would be happy to talk to Trump

U.S. and Taiwanese presidents ‌have not spoken directly ‌since Washington shifted diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei in 1979. However, in late ⁠2016 ​then ⁠President-elect Trump broke decades of U.S. diplomatic ⁠precedent by speaking directly, by telephone, with ​then-Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.

​Taiwan's Foreign ​Ministry said on ‌Thursday that ​President Lai Ching-te would be ‌be happy to speak with U.S. President Donald Trump. U.S. and Taiwanese presidents ‌have not spoken directly ‌since Washington shifted diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei in 1979.

However, in late ⁠2016 ​then ⁠President-elect Trump broke decades of U.S. diplomatic ⁠precedent by speaking directly, by telephone, with ​then-Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. Beijing has ⁠never renounced the use of ⁠force ​to take control of the democratically governed island. It ⁠has been angered by longstanding U.S. military ⁠support ⁠for Taiwan to deter Chinese military action.