Japan Watches Uneasily as Trump Shakes Taiwan-China Ties

  • China could seek to hit back via Japan, former official says
  • Japan spars with China over military plane encounters

Magnus: It's Not Obvious What Trump Wants on China

Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s apparent willingness to engage with Taiwan could spur Chinese retaliation that draws in Japan, complicating the geopolitical landscape in North Asia, according to a former Japanese vice minister for foreign affairs.

Yasuhide Nakayama, now deputy chairman of a ruling Liberal Democratic Party panel on security and prevention of terrorism, said he saw Trump’s recent phone call with Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen as a "smart" move because it took place before his inauguration and limits China’s scope to react.