After Trump-Xi Summit, US Scholars: Unchanged Policy is Good for Both Taiwan and US
Following the Trump-Xi summit, US think tank scholars analyze that the US's established policy towards Taiwan remains largely unchanged, which is considered beneficial for both Taiwan and the United States. However, Taiwan is still not out of the woods, with future statements from the US President and new arms sales to Taiwan warranting close attention.
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- 📰 Published: May 16, 2026 at 08:49
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Central News Agency Dispatch
(Central News Agency reporter Liao Han-yuan, New York, May 15 exclusive report) Following the conclusion of the Trump-Xi summit, American think tank scholar David Sacks believes that the United States' established policy towards Taiwan has not undergone significant changes, which is a good thing for both Taiwan and the United States. Scholar Michael Cunningham analyzes that Taiwan is still not out of its difficulties and needs to pay close attention to statements in the coming days and the direction of new arms sales to Taiwan.
David Sacks, an Asia Research Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York-based think tank, stated at an online forum hosted by the association on May 15 that from Taiwan's perspective, the Trump-Xi summit did not reach conclusions, but merely managed downside risks. Senior Taiwanese officials have publicly expressed concerns about becoming an agenda item for the Beijing summit, and the unchanged US policy towards Taiwan will be seen as a victory for Taiwan.
He said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned in an interview with NBC that US policy had not changed, and Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed gratitude for this; the fact that the established US policy towards Taiwan has not significantly changed is a good thing for both Taipei and the United States.
Furthermore, regarding the strategic stability of US-China relations, Beijing views Taiwan as central to the overall strategic stability of US-China relations. Sacks analyzed that how the US handles Taiwan is a central element for the two countries seeking a stable relationship. Chinese President Xi Jinping wants to clearly express that for US-China relations to be stable or progress, any concerns Trump has regarding economics, fentanyl, and rare earths are linked to how the US handles Taiwan.
He emphasized that Xi Jinping also wants to convey a problematic message to Taipei that relying on the US for survival is an issue. He not only wants to manage US actions towards Taiwan but also influence the discussions in Taiwanese society regarding the 2028 elections. The US not mentioning Taiwan is a good thing, and Trump, who enjoys media interaction, did not respond to reporters' questions about Taiwan at the Temple of Heaven, indicating that he understood Taiwan's particularity and handled it very well.
Yun Sun, Director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, a Washington think tank, stated at an online forum hosted by the center that the Trump-Xi summit did not reach substantive agreements. China did not publicly announce that it would purchase US agricultural products, and no progress was announced regarding soybeans, beef, Boeing aircraft, or the economic and trade committee.
She analyzed that before the summit, China explicitly hoped that Trump would backtrack on the Taiwan issue and change policy, and made three suggestions for this. The most basic was a statement not to support Taiwan independence; the second, what China wanted, was to oppose Taiwan independence; the third, what was most desired and had already been conveyed, was a statement supporting peaceful reunification. There were two possible scenarios for the summit: either the US did not say what China wanted, so China reserved its commitments to the US; or, the items agreed upon by both sides were merely principled agreements, lacking specific accords.
Michael Cunningham, a Senior Fellow in the China Program at the Stimson Center, pointed out at the same forum that details of the summit would still take time to unfold, and Taiwan could not yet relax. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's visit mentioned that Trump would talk about Taiwan in the coming days. Although Taiwan has not faced the worst situation, it is still not out of its difficulties.
Cunningham stressed that when reporters asked Trump about the Six Assurances, Trump indicated that the 1980s were a long time ago. It is unclear how arms sales to Taiwan were discussed in the talks – was Xi continuously speaking and Trump listening? Or were negotiations conducted? What exactly was discussed between Trump and Xi, and what are the implications for US policy towards China and Taiwan, requires attention to statements in the coming days.
Trump has not yet decided on a new round of arms sales to Taiwan. Cunningham believes that key points of observation include: if Trump agrees to arms sales in the coming days, it would be a significant moral boost for Taiwan, and the US would also need to explain whether the Six Assurances are still valid. If arms sales are rejected or items are significantly reduced or changed, it would indicate that these arms sales were negotiated, which would not help alleviate Taiwan's concerns or internal politics. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150516
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(Central News Agency reporter Liao Han-yuan, New York, May 15 exclusive report) Following the conclusion of the Trump-Xi summit, American think tank scholar David Sacks believes that the United States' established policy towards Taiwan has not undergone significant changes, which is a good thing for both Taiwan and the United States. Scholar Michael Cunningham analyzes that Taiwan is still not out of its difficulties and needs to pay close attention to statements in the coming days and the direction of new arms sales to Taiwan.
David Sacks, an Asia Research Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York-based think tank, stated at an online forum hosted by the association on May 15 that from Taiwan's perspective, the Trump-Xi summit did not reach conclusions, but merely managed downside risks. Senior Taiwanese officials have publicly expressed concerns about becoming an agenda item for the Beijing summit, and the unchanged US policy towards Taiwan will be seen as a victory for Taiwan.
He said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned in an interview with NBC that US policy had not changed, and Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed gratitude for this; the fact that the established US policy towards Taiwan has not significantly changed is a good thing for both Taipei and the United States.
Furthermore, regarding the strategic stability of US-China relations, Beijing views Taiwan as central to the overall strategic stability of US-China relations. Sacks analyzed that how the US handles Taiwan is a central element for the two countries seeking a stable relationship. Chinese President Xi Jinping wants to clearly express that for US-China relations to be stable or progress, any concerns Trump has regarding economics, fentanyl, and rare earths are linked to how the US handles Taiwan.
He emphasized that Xi Jinping also wants to convey a problematic message to Taipei that relying on the US for survival is an issue. He not only wants to manage US actions towards Taiwan but also influence the discussions in Taiwanese society regarding the 2028 elections. The US not mentioning Taiwan is a good thing, and Trump, who enjoys media interaction, did not respond to reporters' questions about Taiwan at the Temple of Heaven, indicating that he understood Taiwan's particularity and handled it very well.
Yun Sun, Director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, a Washington think tank, stated at an online forum hosted by the center that the Trump-Xi summit did not reach substantive agreements. China did not publicly announce that it would purchase US agricultural products, and no progress was announced regarding soybeans, beef, Boeing aircraft, or the economic and trade committee.
She analyzed that before the summit, China explicitly hoped that Trump would backtrack on the Taiwan issue and change policy, and made three suggestions for this. The most basic was a statement not to support Taiwan independence; the second, what China wanted, was to oppose Taiwan independence; the third, what was most desired and had already been conveyed, was a statement supporting peaceful reunification. There were two possible scenarios for the summit: either the US did not say what China wanted, so China reserved its commitments to the US; or, the items agreed upon by both sides were merely principled agreements, lacking specific accords.
Michael Cunningham, a Senior Fellow in the China Program at the Stimson Center, pointed out at the same forum that details of the summit would still take time to unfold, and Taiwan could not yet relax. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's visit mentioned that Trump would talk about Taiwan in the coming days. Although Taiwan has not faced the worst situation, it is still not out of its difficulties.
Cunningham stressed that when reporters asked Trump about the Six Assurances, Trump indicated that the 1980s were a long time ago. It is unclear how arms sales to Taiwan were discussed in the talks – was Xi continuously speaking and Trump listening? Or were negotiations conducted? What exactly was discussed between Trump and Xi, and what are the implications for US policy towards China and Taiwan, requires attention to statements in the coming days.
Trump has not yet decided on a new round of arms sales to Taiwan. Cunningham believes that key points of observation include: if Trump agrees to arms sales in the coming days, it would be a significant moral boost for Taiwan, and the US would also need to explain whether the Six Assurances are still valid. If arms sales are rejected or items are significantly reduced or changed, it would indicate that these arms sales were negotiated, which would not help alleviate Taiwan's concerns or internal politics. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150516
Stand with truth and facts; every sponsorship is a force protecting press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.