Trump says he will speak to Taiwan's president in break from protocol

Key Points:

• US President Donald Trump announced plans to speak directly with Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te about a potential $14 billion arms sale, marking a significant break from the longstanding US diplomatic tradition of avoiding direct communication with Taiwan's leaders since 1979.
• The US has legally committed to providing Taiwan with defensive arms under the Taiwan Relations Act, balancing support for the self-ruled island with maintaining diplomatic relations with China, which claims Taiwan as its territory and opposes official US-Taiwan exchanges.
• China's foreign ministry strongly opposed the planned communication and arms sales, urging the US to cease sending signals that support Taiwanese separatism and warning that Taiwan remains a major point of tension in US-China relations.
• Trump has yet to decide on the arms sale and has reportedly discussed the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a move that contrasts with past US policy of not consulting Beijing on arms deals with Taiwan.
• Taiwan's leader Lai has emphasized the importance of US arms sales for regional peace and expressed willingness to discuss maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait, while China has delayed a Pentagon official's visit pending Trump's decision on the arms package.