Observers say elaborate ceremonies in Washington should not be seen as proof of shifting US policy towards Taipei
4-MIN READ4-MIN ListenLawrence Chungin TaipeiPublished: 7:26pm, 25 Sep 2026Updated: 7:40pm, 25 Sep 2026Taiwanese officials and observers have reacted cautiously to the Washington summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, with uncertainty lingering over what the two leaders discussed about the island.
The only public mention of Taiwan after Thursday’s closed-door talks between the pair came from Beijing’s official statement, which said Xi had urged Trump to “oppose ‘Taiwan independence’” and “handle the Taiwan question with caution”. The White House did not immediately give its own detailed account of the exchange.
