Chinese leader Xi Jinping plans to push US President Donald Trump to publicly align with Beijing against Taiwan’s independence, The Wall Street Journal reported.
As trade talks progress and the two men gear up for an in-person meeting, Xi reportedly sees formal US opposition to Taiwanese sovereignty as the “ultimate prize.”
Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province it will eventually absorb, and driving a wedge between Washington and Taipei would both undermine Taiwan and bolster China’s leverage over the island, analysts said.
The push comes as anxiety grows that China is preparing to invade Taiwan: A recent analysis found that Russia is selling equipment and technology to China that could aid a future airborne attack.