US and Taiwanese defence officials held secret talks in Alaska

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US and Taiwanese defence officials held secret talks in Alaska on linkedin (opens in a new window) Save current progress 0% Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington and Kathrin Hille in Taipei PublishedSEP 5 2025 119 Print this page Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world US and Taiwanese defence officials held secret talks in Alaska last week, days before President Xi Jinping flaunted China’s military might to the world at a parade attended by fellow strongmen. Jed Royal, the Pentagon’s top Indo-Pacific official, met Hsu Szu-chien, then-Taiwan’s deputy national security adviser, in Anchorage, according to several people familiar with the matter. The talks came months after a Washington meeting between more senior American and Taiwanese officials was cancelled, partly over concerns that it could derail a potential bilateral meeting between President Donald Trump and the Chinese president. News of the meeting in Alaska comes amid questions about how far Trump is willing to support Taiwan as he seeks a summit with Xi and the two countries hold talks to end their trade war. “The Trump administration may be trying to thread the needle between assuring Taiwan and keeping the possibility of a trade deal and summit with China alive,” said Amanda Hsiao.

China director at Eurasia Group. But Hsiao noted that China would have protested more had the defence meeting taken place at the ministerial level in the greater Washington area. Royal is serving in an acting capacity while the Trump administration waits for its nominee, John Noh, to be confirmed by the Senate. Hsu last week was elevated to a more senior role advising Joseph Wu, Taiwan’s national security adviser. He is viewed as the leading contender to become the next Taiwanese ambassador to Washington. Left to right: Taiwan’s National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te and Taiwan’s defence minister Wellington Koo in Taipei © I-Hwa Cheng/AFP/Getty Images The US delegation for the meeting planned for June was due to be led by Elbridge Colby, the top defence policy official. Wellington Koo, Taiwan’s defence minister, had been expected to lead the Taiwanese delegation. The Trump administration cancelled the meeting at the last minute, telling Taipei the move was related to its military strikes on Iran. But some US officials had argued that allowing a serving Taiwanese defence minister to visit Washington for the first time could jeopardise a Trump-Xi summit.