Trump calls Japan PM after Xi call
After a Nov. 24 call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping—during which Xi told Trump that "Taiwan's return to China is an integral part of the post‑war international order"—Trump phoned Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and, according to reports, urged her to "cool it" after her earlier comments about a potential Chinese naval blockade of Taiwan. Beijing has since launched a diplomatic push to isolate Japan, sending protest letters to the UN and imposing punitive measures such as halting seafood imports, issuing travel advisories and canceling cultural events; Trump’s public post about the Xi call did not mention Taiwan.
📌 Key Facts
- China is mounting a coordinated diplomatic push to isolate Japan over the Taiwan dispute, seeking support from the U.S., U.K. and France.
- Beijing has sent two protest letters to the United Nations and taken punitive steps against Japan, including halting seafood imports, issuing a travel advisory and canceling cultural events.
- On Nov. 7, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament a Chinese naval blockade of Taiwan could be considered an existential threat to Japan under 2015 security laws; she later pledged to avoid discussing hypothetical Taiwan scenarios.
- In a Nov. 24 call between Xi and Trump, Xi told Trump that 'Taiwan's return to China is an integral part of the post-war international order'; Trump's public post about that call did not mention Taiwan.
- Axios reports that Trump sided with Beijing in last month’s rhetorical clash over Taiwan and urged Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi to 'cool it' when he spoke with her.
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📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"The WSJ commentary argues that after Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi’s Taiwan remarks, China has escalated beyond military moves to revive subtle, informal economic coercion—harder to detect and manage—urging governments and companies to recognize and prepare for these coercive tactics."
📰 Sources (3)
- Axios says Trump sided with Beijing in last month’s rhetorical clash over Taiwan and urged Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi to 'cool it.'
- China is mounting a coordinated diplomatic push to isolate Japan over Taiwan, seeking support from the U.S., U.K., and France.
- In the Nov. 24 Xi–Trump call, Xi told Trump that 'Taiwan's return to China is an integral part of the post-war international order'; Trump’s public post about the call did not mention Taiwan.
- Beijing has sent two protest letters to the United Nations and taken punitive steps against Japan, including halting seafood imports, issuing a travel advisory, and canceling cultural events.
- Context of the spat: On Nov. 7, PM Sanae Takaichi told Japan’s parliament a Chinese naval blockade of Taiwan could be considered an existential threat to Japan under 2015 security laws; she later pledged to avoid hypothetical Taiwan scenarios.