People close to U.S. President Donald Trump are reportedly worried that China could invade Taiwan within five years.
On the 17th (local time), the U.S. online outlet Axios reported this, citing some of Trump's associates, and said that if China invades Taiwan, there is also a possibility that the supply of semiconductors needed to run artificial intelligence (AI) for U.S. corporations could be cut off.
One associate said, "The president's trip to China signals that the chances of Taiwan coming to the table within the next five years have risen considerably," adding, "We have no way to prepare economically. The semiconductor supply chain is far from self-sufficient."
The person went on, "For chief executive officers (CEOs) of corporations, and for the economy as a whole, there is no issue more urgent than the semiconductor supply chain." With the United States heavily relying on Taiwan's TSMC for semiconductor supplies, the view is that if Taiwan is occupied by China, the United States would struggle to withstand the shock to the semiconductor supply chain.
Axios said the growing concern among Trump's associates about a Chinese invasion of Taiwan stems from the assessment that Taiwan-related discussions held on the occasion of last week's U.S.-China summit were unusual.
At the summit held at the Great Hall of the People on the 14th, President Xi Jinping said, "The Taiwan issue is the most important issue in U.S.-China relations," adding, "If it is handled well, the bilateral relationship can maintain overall stability, but if it is handled poorly, the two countries will clash and push the entirety of U.S.-China relations into a very dangerous situation."
Afterward, President Trump said in an interview with Fox News that arms sales to Taiwan are "a good bargaining chip," adding that the United States could sell them or might not, sparking controversy. This stance contrasts with the past U.S. government drawing a line that the Taiwan issue is not something to be negotiated with China.
A Trump associate said, "President Xi is trying to move China into a new position," adding, "He is saying, 'China is no longer a rising great power. It is an equal to the United States, and Taiwan belongs to China.'"