<br><br>**The Future of Taiwan Xi-Trump Call Expected to Stabilize Regional Security**<br><br>As the world waits with anticipation for the outcome of President Donald Trump's call with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Taiwan is breathing a sigh of relief. In an exclusive interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP), Taiwanese Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi expressed optimism that the conversation will contribute to stabilizing regional security in the face of increasing military pressure from China.<br><br>**A Stable Region Chen's Perspective**<br><br>We don't worry too much about this whole telephone communication, Chen said, describing the US-Taiwan relationship as very solid and strong. He believes that the call will contribute to a more stable situation, especially given China's escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait.<br><br>**China's Escalating Threats**<br><br>Communist China has never ruled democratic Taiwan, but Beijing claims the island is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to annex it. Xi warned Washington to exercise caution in arms sales to Taiwan, but Chen said the Chinese leader's comments will not threaten future purchases from the United States.<br><br>**Taiwan's Reliance on US Arms Sales**<br><br>Taiwan relies heavily on US weapons sales to deter Beijing, with a population of 23 million people and being massively outgunned in a conflict. President Lai Ching-te has pledged to boost defense spending to more than three percent of GDP this year and five percent by 2030.<br><br>**Stable Defense Budget**<br><br>However, the opposition-controlled parliament has repeatedly blocked the government's plan for $40 billion in additional funding for military equipment. This includes the US-approved $11 billion arms sale announced in December – one of the largest weapons packages for the island.<br><br>**The Future of Arms Sales**<br><br>Chen said that while there is no concern about the US selling Taiwan a certain amount of weapons, the opposition parties' attitude toward the defense budget remains a hurdle. So far we haven't seen any cooperation from the parliament, he added.<br><br>**Trump-Xi Meeting A Grand Bargain?**<br><br>As Trump prepares to meet Xi in Beijing in April, Chen is not worried that the two leaders will strike a grand bargain at Taiwan's expense. Taiwan is unquestionably the core of the national interest to the global economy and the US, he said. You're not going to trade away your own national interest.<br><br>**Conclusion**<br><br>As regional tensions continue to escalate, the future of Taiwan remains uncertain. However, with a stable defense budget and continued support from the United States, Taiwan can look forward to a more secure future. As Chen so aptly put it, we believe that [the Xi-Trump call] will contribute to stabilize the situation... I think we welcome the kind of effort to stabilize the ... security situation in this region.<br><br>Changes made<br><br>* Tone The original tone was somewhat sensational and alarmist. I toned down the language to make it more professional and neutral.<br>* Grammar Minor grammatical errors were corrected, and sentence structure was improved for better readability.<br>* Readability The text is now easier to follow, with clearer headings and a logical flow of ideas.<br>* Content No major changes were made to the content, but I reorganized some sections to improve the overall coherence and flow.
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