Taiwan Looms Large for Xi as Trump Attends Beijing Summit

President Trump joins Chinese President Xi Jinping at a Beijing summit this week, where Taiwan stands out as Xi's top priority.

Beijing views Taiwan as central to its core interests, with reunification—even by force—at the heart of Xi's plans. China and Taiwan share history, language and culture. Yet over nearly 80 years, Taiwan has evolved into a self-ruled island and thriving democracy with a dynamic capitalist economy. Residents speak freely without fear.

Surveys show fewer than 10 percent of Taiwanese favor reunification with China. Fears of Communist rule have grown.

"Since democratization, we have enjoyed the freedom of speech, of democracy, a diversified society," Taiwan Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi told CBS News this month. "We've been through an authoritarian past. We see democracy is something we achieved. Taiwanese people cherish that very much. So we will never accept the one country, two systems."

Taiwan ranks as a major potential flash point between the U.S. and China, the only spot where their militaries could clash openly. China runs regular military drills around the island to signal strength.

U.S. presidents have backed the small Asian ally against its giant neighbor for decades. Concern is rising, though, that Trump might shift course, with global fallout.

Taiwan powers the U.S. economy by making more than 90 percent of the world's advanced semiconductors, key for artificial intelligence and defense, and vital to global supply chains.

"There's a tremendous amount at stake in this relationship," said Jonathan Czin, a fellow at the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution, referring to U.S.-Taiwan ties. "And I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that."

China has treated Taiwan as a breakaway province since 1949, when nationalists lost the civil war to Communists and retreated from the mainland.

Today Taiwan boasts one of the world's highest per capita GDPs. The U.S. has refused to accept the Chinese Communist Party's claim and sells the island billions in arms yearly, including a $10 billion package announced last December.

A new $14 billion arms package awaits Trump's signature after months of delay. Many in Taiwan worry Xi will leverage trade deals to erode U.S. support or alter the status quo. Trump's recent remarks about negotiating arms sales with Xi fuel those fears.

"There is definitely concern that he [Trump] will trade away that arms sale in exchange for something else, you know, whether that's for assistance on Iran, or some kind of economic concession," Czin said. "President Trump's transactional approach is that everything's up for negotiation."

Chen Ming-chi told CBS News he sees the U.S. as a "dependable ally" and holds no fear of abandonment.

"The U.S. can count on us as much as we can count on the U.S.," Chen said. "Do we believe in the U.S. commitment? Yes. They are our reliable partner. Probably the most reliable partner."