• last week
In an interview with NBC News, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has said that he communicated with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week. When asked about defending Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack, Trump stated he would prefer China not invade but did not express a direct commitment to Taiwan's defense.
Transcript
00:00U.S. President-elect Donald Trump says he and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke within
00:05the last week.
00:07In an interview with NBC News, Trump said he has a very good relationship with Xi and
00:12that the two spoke just three days earlier.
00:15Trump said he didn't discuss Taiwan with Xi during that week's call.
00:19When asked whether he would defend Taiwan, which China claims and has threatened to take
00:23by force, Trump declined to comment directly but stated that he would prefer China not
00:28to invade.
00:29The United States has historically helped Taiwan defend itself by selling it weapons.
00:34It does not promise to send troops but leaves that option open.

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