At the end of October, leaders of China and the U.S. may meet at the APEC leaders' summit in South Korea.
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen (66) stated that if Donald Trump can persuade Chinese leader Xi Jinping to refrain from using force against Taiwan, he "would undoubtedly deserve the Nobel Peace Prize." The statement was made during an appearance on an American radio show popular among conservative audiences in the U.S.
According to Tsai, Taipei hopes for continued support from Washington, even though no new arms shipments to the island have been announced since Trump returned to the White House.
The Taiwanese leader noted that if he were to meet with Trump, he would inform him about the increasing military activity of China not only in the Taiwan Strait but also in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. He emphasized that Chinese expansion poses a threat not only to Taiwan but also to the international rules-based order:
"After the annexation of Taiwan, China will gain a powerful foothold for competing with the U.S. and undermining the global balance," the president stated.
At the end of October, Trump and Xi may meet at the APEC leaders' summit in South Korea.
Meanwhile, Taiwan is strengthening its own defense — by 2030, the defense budget is planned to reach 5% of GDP.
"When Taiwan defends itself, it defends peace and stability throughout the Indo-Pacific region," Tsai concluded.
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