Taiwan's President Lai Says He Will Be 'Happy' to Speak with Trump as US Weighs $14B Arms Sale

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te on May 22, 2026 publicly responded to Trump's May 21 announcement of a planned call, saying he would be 'happy' to speak with the US president and that communication channels 'were always open.' Lai called the potential call an opportunity to strengthen the Taiwan-US defense partnership. The response sets the stage for a historically unprecedented direct leader-to-leader call between Washington and Taipei — the first since 1979, when the US shifted diplomatic recognition from the Republic of China to the People's Republic of China under the Shanghai Communiqué. Beijing reacted sharply, with China's Foreign Ministry demanding the US handle the Taiwan question 'with utmost prudence' and urging Washington to refrain from any 'official exchanges' with Taipei. The diplomatic development comes as Trump deliberates over a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan that would include advanced air defense systems and precision munitions — one of the largest potential transfers since the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979. The development adds to a complex diplomatic picture in which the US is simultaneously managing US-China relations following the May 14-15 Beijing summit, the ongoing US-Iran war, and Taiwan Strait tensions.