Trump says he will discuss Taiwan with Xi at APEC

Washington, Oct. 24 (CNA) U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he will bring up the Taiwan issue with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping (習近平) during a meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in South Korea next week.

"I will be talking about Taiwan [with Xi]," Trump told reporters before he departed for his trip to Asia on Friday. The president also expressed "a lot of respect for Taiwan."

"We have a lot to talk about with President Xi, and he has a lot to talk about with us. I think we'll have a good meeting," Trump said.

Taiwan has long been a thorny issue between the United States and China. China has never relinquished the use of force for the unification of Taiwan, while Taipei has forged closer military ties with the U.S.

According to the White House, Trump will meet with Xi on the sidelines of the APEC in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30 local time.

On Wednesday, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) told lawmakers in Taipei that the U.S. has assured Taiwan that its interests will not be harmed when Trump meets with Xi at the APEC.

"The U.S. side has repeatedly told us that it remains steadfast in its support for Taiwan and that its exchanges with China will not harm Taiwan's interests," Lin said during a legislative session.

Reuters reported that Trump will likely raise the issue of releasing Jimmy Lai (黎智英), the imprisoned founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy Hong Kong-based newspaper Apple Daily.

"It's on my list. I'm going to ask ... We'll see what happens," Trump told reporters, according to the Reuters report.

The White House said Trump would kick off a five-day trip to Asia from Friday, visiting Malaysia and Japan before arriving in South Korea.

It is Trump's first trip to Asia since he was sworn in January, and it will be the first time for him to sit down with Xi during his second term at the White House, which has drawn much of a global political spotlight.

Asked by reporters on Air Force One why he previously said China would not make any move on Taiwan, Trump said it would be very dangerous for them to do so.

"I hope they won't. We'll have to see," Trump said. "Maybe they will. Maybe they won't. I hope they won't. I think it would be very dangerous for them to do."