President Trump: I will Speak With Taiwan's Leader | China in Focus

Welcome to China In Focus, I'm Tiffany Meyer. Our top story. While both sides emphasize stability, the Trump-Xi summit exposed sharp fault lines between the world's two largest powers, from political prisoners to tariffs and Taiwan. I have to speak to the person that right now, you know who he is, that's running Taiwan. President Trump says he did not ask China's Xi to pressure Iran over the state of her moves, but believes Xi may still step in to remedy the situation anyway. I'm not asking for any favors. Because when you ask for favors, you have to do favors in return. We don't need favors. China's practice of forced organ harvesting from living prisoners of conscience, U.S. lawmakers are considering the scope and scale of this atrocity and what they can do to stop it. And as President Trump wraps up his China visit, what's next for Taiwan and trade, Colonel Robert Mattis joins us to unpack the key takeaways. In case, God forbid, something did happen and we go to war, that would be a key strategic location for the allied forces. And having Taiwan as one of those allies. President Trump wrapped up his China visit Friday. Here are the key takeaways. Before we dig into the details, Trump's summit with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping produced no major breakthroughs. However, it did mark a noticeable shift in tone. Most media outlets agree on one thing. The outcome was largely symbolic. The two leaders reopened direct talks and appeared to ease tensions after months of trade disputes and geopolitical friction. There were also some limited trade wins. Trump pointed to potential Chinese purchases of U.S. farm goods, possible Boeing jet deals and discussions on American energy exports. But so far, no concrete details or formal agreements have been announced. Both sides agreed Iran should not have nuclear weapons, but Beijing offered no concrete commitments. On Taiwan, there were no major policy changes or breakthroughs either. That's why many media outlets described the summit as big on pageantry, but short on details. President Trump wrapping up a two-day summit in Beijing and departed for the United States. While the summit was framed around building a strategically stable bilateral relationship and preventing major power competition from spiraling out of control, the two sides still showed clear divisions over core issues, including Taiwan. On the issue drawing the most attention, U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. Trump delivered a surprising response. He spoke aboard Air Force One on Friday while returning to Washington. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs quickly issued a statement in response, thanking President Trump for his continued support for security in the Taiwan Strait since his first term in office. The statement said U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are not only part of Washington's security commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act, but also a shared deterrent against regional threats. The ministry added that China's military threats remain the only source of instability in the region. According to an official Chinese statement, Xi Jinping used strong language on the Taiwan issue, warning that mishandling it could lead to conflict between China and the U.S. Trump said Xi spoke with him a lot about Taiwan. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday reiterated that U.S. policy toward Taiwan has not changed in any way. Taiwan's foreign minister later expressed appreciation for the statement. A Taiwanese scholar suggested the United States and China may have reached some level of understanding regarding U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. Washington still plans to move forward with a second round of arms sales to Taiwan, but that process could face delays. The White House had previously announced record-high arms sales to Taiwan. Meanwhile, critics say human rights issues were largely sidelined during the Trump-Xi meeting. Before visiting Beijing, Trump said he would raise the cases of two political prisoners detained by the government with Xi Jinping. One is former Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai. The other is Pastor Ezra Church. It was once considered one of the largest and most influential underground Christian churches in Beijing. As for Jimmy Lai, who is now 78 years old and serving a 20-year sentence under Hong Kong's national security law, Trump appeared pessimistic about the chances of securing his release. Meanwhile, China's repression is no longer confined within its own borders but has extended into the United States. According to Freedom House, China accounts for roughly 22 percent of documented cases of transnational repression worldwide, making it the world's largest perpetrator of cross-border persecution. The group says the activity also poses a direct threat to the safety of U.S. citizens. On Wednesday, U.S. citizen Liu Jianwang was found guilty in federal court in Brooklyn for secretly operating a Chinese police station in New York City's Chinatown. And his co-defendant, Xi Jinping, pleaded guilty in 2024. President Trump said tariffs were not discussed with Chinese leader Xi Jinping but added that China is paying massive tariffs. There was also no visible breakthrough on issues including rare earth cooperation and the sale of Nvidia chips to China. And regarding freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said the United States does not need China's favor. President Trump said Friday that he did not ask Chinese leader Xi Jinping to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, arguing the U.S. does not need outside help. Despite that, Trump believes he will ask Iran because he likes to see the Strait opened up. I'm not asking for any favors because when you ask for favors, you have to do favors in return. We don't need favors. He will, I think, automatically like to see it opened up. He gets about 40 percent of his energy or soil from that, you know, from the Strait. We get none. We don't need it. Trump also said Xi agreed that Iran should not be allowed to have nuclear weapons. You feel strongly they can't have a nuclear weapon. He said that very strongly. They cannot have a nuclear weapon and he wants them to open up the Strait. But as he said, they closed it and then you closed them with a smile. That's true. We control the Strait and they've done no business. Trump told Fox News on Thursday that Xi said he would not provide military equipment to Iran. He said he's not going to give military equipment. That's a big statement. He said that today. That's a big statement. He said that strongly. Beijing has been propping up Iran by purchasing its oil and goods that can be used militarily, such as drone components. Beijing's promise comes as Chinese companies have been in talks with Iran about sending weapons through other countries. That's according to a report from The New York Times. Trump said his patience with Iran is running out, warning previously the fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire is now on life support. He also dismissed Iran's peace proposal as garbage, saying it failed to address Washington's biggest demand, ending Iran's nuclear weapons development. Japanese Prime Minister saying Friday that she and President Trump reaffirmed the U.S.-Japan alliance following Trump's trip to China. We had another very productive discussion today and were able to reaffirm the unshakable Japan-U.S. alliance with President Trump. We also agreed to look forward to meeting at next month's G7 summit, and we'll continue to work closely together. Prime Minister Sena Takaichi said Trump called her on his way back to the U.S. The two discussed a range of issues involving China, particularly economic and national security. They also agreed to remain in close communication on responses to developments in the Indo-Pacific region. There, the Chinese Communist Party remains the primary aggressor, keeping Japan on high alert. Tokyo has also relaxed its weapons export restrictions, allowing it to sell arms to dozen countries. France is set to host the G7 summit this June. It's a forum where leaders from the world's seven most industrialized economies meet to discuss pressing global issues. From billion-dollar deals to artificial intelligence, the stakes were high in Beijing this week. President Trump's trip to Beijing included some of America's biggest business leaders. Companies are looking to improve relations with China despite ongoing tensions over trade and technology. Executives from companies including Tesla, NVIDIA, Apple and Boeing took part in meetings and events throughout the trip. But as President Trump left Beijing Friday, it was still unclear whether the trip produced any major business deals or policy breakthroughs. Analysts say the trip focused more on rebuilding political and economic ties rather than announcing the massive agreements seen during Trump's 2017 visit to China. One possible deal could involve China buying 200 Boeing planes, according to comments from President Trump. But no official announcement has been made yet. Even if it goes through, the deal would still come in below earlier expectations and under the 300 planes announced during Trump's 2017 visit. Meanwhile, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang joined the trip, hoping China could approve sales of the company's H200 AI chips to some Chinese firms. But so far, no major breakthrough has been announced. NVIDIA chips have been at the center of tensions between the two countries as the U.S. continues limiting China's access to cutting-edge American technology. Several executives are expected to remain in China for additional meetings in the coming days. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are examining the Chinese Communist Party's ongoing crime of forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience. It comes as President Trump and U.S. delegation wrap up a trip to Beijing with human rights on the agenda. NTD's Washington correspondent Jack Bradley has more. These are young people with great futures. They're very healthy and they kill them to get their organs. Lawmakers at the Congressional Executive Commission on China are examining ongoing reports of mass forced organ harvesting of prisoners of conscience in China. The supply of organs is always much less than the demand. Yet wait times in China are often measured not in years, not in months, but in weeks or even days. Researchers estimate that tens of thousands of individuals, perhaps more, have been killed to supply China's transplant industry. I witnessed blood collections from detainees, injections, forced medications, disappearances. The issue garnered some attention last year when Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin were caught on a hot mic discussing living to 150 years old through continuous organ transplants. It was a glimpse behind the curtain, a glimpse into a world where human beings can be treated as interchangeable parts to prolong the lives of autocrats. But the atrocities continue. One of the main targets are Falun Gong practitioners, a large population of spiritual believers in China. In 1999 it was estimated that nearly 100 million people practiced Falun Gong in China before a brutal persecution was launched due to its popularity and moral teachings. This is a group that's been decimated, slaughtered in the most vile of ways because they can't tolerate this indigenous faith that is so natural to China. It's a blended kind of faith of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucian thought, and it was a complete threat to the Chinese Communist Party. Muslim Uyghurs make up another large portion of forced organ harvesting in China, specifically in the Xinjiang region, where they're held in concentration camps. Assuming one million in the Xinjiang camps, forced labor factories and other carceral environments, that means a minimum cumulative death total in Xinjiang of over 200,000 now and counting. The first known survivor of China's forced organ harvesting went public in 2024. Cheng Pei Ming, a Falun Gong practitioner who 20 years earlier was taken for surgery against his will by Chinese police when he was detained for practicing Falun Gong. He was sedated and when he awoke he had a 14-inch gash on his side and he was missing parts of his liver and lung. In delay is denial for the poor victim who tomorrow, today, will be killed for their organs. PRC is using forced organ harvesting as a tool of repression in their repression toolbox and it's really important for the United States not to let those kind of human rights issues slip off of the agenda. Congress is now examining legislation to impose targeted sanctions on those involved in China's forced organ harvesting and even to protect Americans from unwittingly practicing it. The Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act and the Falun Gong Protection Act would do just that. They both pass the House and are awaiting action in the Senate. For NTD News Washington, I'm Jack Bradley. Coming up, as President Trump wraps up his China visit, what's next for Taiwan in trade? Colonel Robert Maness joins us to unpack the key takeaways. In case, God forbid, something did happen and we go to war, that would be a key strategic location for the allied forces and having Taiwan as one of those allies. More on that after the break here on China In Focus. Welcome back to China In Focus, I'm Tiffany Meyer. Status quo or strategic shifts? As President Trump wraps up his China visit, what's next for Taiwan and trade? Joining us now is retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and former Wing and Squadron Commander Robert Maness. He's also the author of the new book, What You Can Do About It, taking real action against corruption, radicalism and moral decay to save America. Colonel Maness, thank you so much for joining us. Great to have you on the show. Thanks for having me on. Now with President Trump wrapping up his pretty historic summit in China with Xi Jinping, there's a lot of takeaways, if you will, coming out of it. Taiwan's a big one, Iran, of course, and trade deals are kind of up in the air still. What's your read of how this summit went? You know, I'll take the Taiwan issue. I think that we're still at a status quo where China seeks reunification at some point. The United States still thinks that Taiwan should be independent, but nobody's really doing anything about it other than doing military preparedness, sending signals and those kind of things. That's what I took out of the comments. Now, the president in his comments, he's been either on the ground in China or in the airspace in China on the comments that I've seen so far. I think that that's important to understand that he's probably not going to be as open about what he really wants to talk about until he gets back to the United States. So I would think that you're going to get a lot more than what we heard from him so far. That is true, because the president did signal he's going to consider the arms sales to Taiwan in a few weeks, right once he is back in the state. So there's that aspect as well. Given that communist China has never ruled Taiwan, so there's no reunification to be had. Why is Taiwan such a crucial issue for American national interests, though? Well, primarily because of chip manufacturing. But they've been a close friend of the United States. The Chinese that came there after the war and during the war to escape communist China have had friendly relations with the United States, the entire history that they've been there. So it's very important, I think, from a strategic perspective, militarily, the manufacturing capability. But from an ideological perspective, it's in our interest to have good allies in the region, especially one that's strategically placed that way, and that they're able to defend themselves in case, God forbid, something did happen and we go to war. That would be a key strategic location for the allied forces. And having Taiwan as one of those allies, I think, is in our vital national interest. As you mentioned militarily, Taiwan's also what's known as the first island chain, right? So very important to our security if China's deep water submarines with the nuclear weapons was able to get into those waters would pose a threat here. There's a lot of focus on Jensen Huang attending last minute, right, talking about chips there. He is, of course, the CEO of Nvidia. What do you make of that aspect, the massive amount of CEOs that went with President Trump? Having all of these CEOs there, some of them already have manufacturing base in China, it shows you that President Trump is more than just your standard politician that is in the presidential office. And we've known that, and that's why a lot of the establishment politicians don't like him and actually fight against his policies, because he's there to make a deal. And I'm not just talking about a national security deal in the sense of a military national security deal, but a national security deal in an economic sense about those manufacturers there. And having the CEOs there showing their support for him sends President Xi a message, especially Musk and Tim Cook, who have major manufacturing operations going on there. Trump wants to show President Xi, I'm the man that they're supporting, and your position is fragile. It did seem like they had at least a two-hour, like their own meeting in the first day, and then another three hours the other day. So definitely, they talk about a lot that we don't know about, to your point. I want to zoom out a bit, because right now, at least here domestically, there's a lot of different things happening, if it's gerrymandering, redistricting, party politics, if you will, if you want to call it that, mudslinging. There's a lot of that. And many people that I talk to have been tuning out of the news because they just feel overwhelmed. They don't like what they're listening or seeing or hearing from our supposed leaders. But you actually have a book that taps into what people can do about it, and it's called What You Can Do About It. So talk to us about that. What can people do? Americans have this strong individual action, genetic makeup almost, that a single American quite often will look at a challenge and say to themselves, hey, I can do something about that. So the book is kind of addressed at that category of folks, and it's about exactly what the title says. Figure out what the it is that you're passionate about, and then take stock of yourself, know yourself, and what you think you can do about it. And let's get organized, get money raised, and take action on those at the lowest level possible, the local level, because that always has a national impact. Well, what can I do about it? We need to get our passion back. We need to get our billionaires on our side to devote resources, especially financial ones, to our activities. But in order to do that, you have to identify what it is that the issue is. You have to get organized. You have to communicate, raise those funds, and then go out and advocate and take action to get your job done, whatever that mission is. And we can do that because we're Americans. That's what the book's about. It sounds like a very timely and also empowering book. So, Colonel Mannes, thank you so much for your time. Thank you. That's all for today's China In Focus. I'm Tiffany Meyer. If you have any feedback on the show or have something you'd like to see us cover, send us an email at chinainfocusintd.com. We'd love to hear from you. For on-the-clock original news coverage, visit us at ntd.com or download our NTD app. Thanks for watching. See you soon.