Trump deserves Nobel if he gets Xi to renounce force against Taiwan: Lai

Taipei, Oct. 7 (CNA) U.S. President Donald Trump would deserve to win a Nobel Peace Prize if he could get China to renounce the use of force against Taiwan, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said in comments published Tuesday.

Lai made the remarks during an interview in Taiwan with U.S. radio host Buck Sexton of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show," a transcript of which was released on the Presidential Office website.

"We hope that Taiwan is able to continue to enjoy the support of President Trump. If he is able to convince Xi Jinping (習近平) to renounce the use of force against Taiwan, [he] will surely win the Nobel Peace Prize," Lai said in the interview.

Asked what he would want Trump to know if he could speak to him directly, Lai said he hopes Trump takes note of the fact that Xi is holding "ever larger military exercises" in the Taiwan Strait and "expanding China's military deployment in the South and East China seas."

China's expanding reach in the Indo-Pacific, including sailing its Navy around Japan and conducting live-fire exercises near Australia, is a threat not only to Taiwan, Lai argued.

"If it is able to annex Taiwan, China will be in a stronger position to compete with the United States and alter the rules-based international order," Lai said.

"This would eventually also impact U.S. interests."

Lai's interview on the conservative-aligned radio program comes as the U.S. and China continue to hold talks on ending a months-long trade conflict, as well as arranging possible Trump-Xi meetings.

In Taiwan, some fear the Trump administration could make concessions related to U.S. support for Taiwan in its eagerness to strike a deal.

Beijing has been pressuring Washington to adjust its policy from merely saying that it "does not support" Taiwan independence to saying that it "opposes" it.

Last month, the Washington Post reported that Trump had declined to approve over US$400 million in military aid to Taiwan amid U.S.-China talks.

Lai's plans to visit Taiwan's South American allies over the summer were also reportedly delayed or cancelled when Trump blocked a stopover in New York, according to a Financial Times report, which was denied by both Taiwan and the United States.

The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize is set to be announced on Friday.