‘Should win the Nobel Peace Prize, but only if…’ Taiwan’s president just threw Trump a wild challenge

“I noticed that US President Donald Trump once said publicly that Xi Jinping actually called him and stated that he would not attack Taiwan during President Trump’s term in office,” Lai said in the interview.

“If he can convince Xi Jinping to renounce the use of force against Taiwan permanently, President Trump will surely win the Nobel Peace Prize.”

It was both a provocation and an invitation, a nod to Trump’s ego, but also a plea to use his influence with Beijing as tensions in the Taiwan Strait rise again.

Why it matters: The stakes behind Lai’s words

Lai’s statement wasn’t just flattery. It came at a time when China is ramping up military drills near Taiwan and increasing naval activity across the Indo-Pacific.

In his words, “Xi Jinping is not only conducting increasingly large-scale military exercises in the Taiwan Strait but is also expanding military forces in the East China Sea and South China Sea.”

Lai warned that any Chinese attempt to annex Taiwan wouldn’t just threaten the island, it would reshape global power. “Once Taiwan is annexed, China will gain greater strength to compete with the United States,” he said, adding that it would “undermine the rules-based international order.”

A message to Washington

The US has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but remains its most important backer. Washington is legally bound to supply Taiwan with the means to defend itself, even as it keeps its 'strategic ambiguity,' never confirming whether it would intervene militarily.

Lai’s interview made clear that Taiwan still counts on American support, regardless of who sits in the White House. “I hope President Trump will continue to uphold peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.

The larger context: A region on edge

Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to bring it under control, by force if necessary.

President Xi Jinping, in his New Year address earlier this year, called Taiwan’s reunification with China 'inevitable.'

Taiwan, however, rejects that claim. Lai reiterated that “the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. Taiwan is not a part of the PRC. China does not have the right to invade Taiwan.”

Meanwhile, Trump is expected to meet Xi later this month at an Asia-Pacific leaders’ summit in South Korea, potentially the first face-to-face since Lai’s remarks. That meeting could now carry added tension, and perhaps, opportunity.

Whether Trump takes up Lai’s challenge or not, the comments show how far Taiwan is willing to go to keep its cause alive on the global stage.