The Taiwan government is zeroing in on so-called "MAGA (Make America Great Again)" influencers to win over U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next week for a U.S.-China summit, and Taiwan is seen as taking a preemptive step out of concern that its own interests could be harmed.
Bloomberg reported on the 22nd (local time) that President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan and key officials have recently focused on pro-Trump conservative journalists and influencers, directly asserting Taiwan's security and democratic values through interviews and more. Appealing that "Taiwan and the United States are connected by the common value of democracy," they are also emphasizing the need to expand trade and investment cooperation. With direct contact between the two leaders virtually impossible, the effort appears intended to raise Taiwan's profile in the United States through a public opinion campaign.
In fact, earlier this month President Lai appeared on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, saying, "If Taiwan is annexed, China will become even more powerful in competing with the United States," and "President Trump could win the Nobel Peace Prize by protecting Taiwan." However, when Trump's eldest son, Eric Trump, later appeared on the same program, it was reported that China and Taiwan were not discussed.
In Washington policy circles, Ambassador Alexander Yui, Taiwan's representative to the United States, is moving quickly to court MAGA. Yui appeared on "War Room," the podcast of Steve Bannon, Trump's former chief strategist, saying, "The diplomatic front is fiercely unfolding." He later appeared on Fox News to highlight Taiwan's presence, and he was also reported to have explained Taiwan's position over dinner with Shawn Ryan, a former U.S. Navy SEAL and host.
A Trump administration official said, "Taiwanese authorities have encouraged direct communication with the general public in the United States through new media platforms," adding, "This shows that security, technology, manufacturing, and education cooperation between the two countries is solid rather than reflecting policy anxiety." Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also emphasized, "Relations with the United States are based on a bipartisan foundation, and we are pursuing broad diplomacy with both parties and across various sectors."
Some, however, say these moves reveal the Taiwan government's anxiety. Adam Parray, a strategist at Bloomberg Economics, said, "President Lai's all-out outreach to conservative media shows Taiwan's unease about President Trump's true intentions," adding, "Even TSMC's $100 billion (about 143 trillion won) U.S. investment has not firmly cemented Taiwan's diplomatic footing."
In fact, Trump has recently shown a relatively lukewarm attitude toward Taiwan. Back in Jul., Lai had planned to tour three Latin American countries—Paraguay, Guatemala, and Belize—via New York, but the New York stopover was denied, and the administration also announced the suspension of a $400 million Taiwan military aid plan.
Seizing the moment, China is ratcheting up tensions by pressuring the United States to formalize its opposition to "Taiwan independence." China strongly protests any official contact between the United States and Taiwan as an "act of territorial separation." In 2022, when former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, China fired ballistic missiles over Taiwan's airspace and conducted military drills in an aggressive response. The U.S. State Department, however, is maintaining the principle of "upholding the one-China policy while safeguarding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."
There is also an assessment that the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan is taking steps that run counter to its longstanding policy direction as it seeks to expand contact with Trump. The Democratic Progressive Party, the current ruling party in Taiwan, is considered progressive, having legalized same-sex marriage—the first in Asia. However, in Oct., Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense invited Matt Schlapp, head of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), to the Taipei Security Dialogue, signaling a sharp shift by addressing "anti-woke" and illegal immigration issues. According to Schlapp, this is the first time Taiwan has proposed collaboration with CPAC.
Experts say Taiwan faces a dilemma in which it has little choice but to reach out to the conservative Trump administration while maintaining a progressive governing stance to pursue practical gains. William Yang, senior analyst for Northeast Asia at the International Crisis Group (ICG), a nonprofit think tank, said, "Taiwan faces a complex situation in which it must preserve its identity as a progressive democratic nation while strengthening a pragmatic relationship with the Trump administration," adding, "There may be domestic criticism, but amid heightened uncertainty in the U.S.-China confrontation, this is a pragmatic survival strategy."