During the U.S. presidential campaign, President-elect Donald Trump generally took a tough line toward China. Yet at the same time, he often complained about some of the United States’ most important partners in the region — countries that have been critical in dealing with Beijing.
Trump promised to impose tariffs of 60% on all Chinese exports and to boost the U.S. defense budget, focusing it more on Asia and possibly less on Europe, including Ukraine.
But he also wants Taiwan to pay for U.S. protection of the island democracy and for Taipei to pay more for its defense. Trump is making these demands even though his first administration had taken some of the most assertive moves to demonstrate U.S. support for Taiwan of any administration in history.
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