Washington, May 21 -- US President Donald Trump in a major break from the country's longstanding diplomatic practice, has raised the possibility of speaking directly with Lai Ching-te, marking both a dramatic change in Washington's diplomatic posture as well as risking further tensions with China.
US and Taiwanese presidents have not spoken directly since 1979, when Washington formally shifted diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.
"I'll speak to him," Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Wednesday when asked whether he planned to contact Lai before deciding on a major Congress-approved arms package for Taiwan, reports CNN.
"I speak to everybody. We have that situation very well in hand," Trump said before bo...