As Beijing threatens, Taiwan looks nervously at Trump

Washington is Taipei's key backer, selling it billions of dollars in weapons for the island's self-defense

- Joyu Wang

The president-elect pressed Taiwan during his election campaign to spend significantly more to defend against the growing threat of attack by China. He accused Taiwan's chip makers-a lifeblood industry accounting for 15% of gross domestic product-of stealing American jobs. He brought into his inner circle the billionaire Elon Musk , who has mocked Taiwan's determination to maintain its autonomy. And he suggested that his own reputation is enough to deter Chinese leader Xi J inping from invading.

At the same time, Beijing launched menacing military exercises , raising a pressing question for the island: What would Trump do if China tried to invade Taiwan?

Some in Taiwan say its survival as a self-ruled democracy is at stake, that it can't afford to spend what Trump demands on defense and that it would wither in the crossfire of a U.S.-China trade war. Beijing claims the island as its own and hasn't ruled out using force to take it.

Taiwan's leadership is emphasizing the positive.

"I'm confident that the longstanding partnership between Taiwan and the U.S. will keep being a key pillar of stability in the region," President Lai Ching-te said Wednesday after a briefing on what to expect from the White House after Trump returns. Washington is Taipei's most important backer, selling it billions of dollars in weapons for the island's self-defense. But while the U.S. is obligated by law to provide weapons, the U.S. maintains a policy of "strategic ambiguity" about presidency, officials in Taiwan saw support from Washington reach new heights in arms sales and diplomacy. This time, the president-elect has already recruited China hawks Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of state and Rep. Michael Waltz as national security adviser, two officials who have pushed for more robust defense against Beijing.