On today's show, we discuss the latest in the China-U.S. relations, including the growing tensions between China and the United States over Taiwan. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have a tense exchange of words on the topic of Taiwan.
00:01:53.160The Taiwan issue lies at the heart of China's fundamental interest.
00:01:58.240Foreign Minister Lin Jian, Xi press Trump, to publicly oppose Taiwan independence.
00:02:04.560Xi press Trump to say, hey, leave these guys alone.
00:02:08.260Then Rubio's counter, Rob, if you have the clip with Rubio, Rubio was like, no, this is not what we're doing.
00:02:13.080Because, you know, the whole part of why this is creating a conflict is because Trump was about to sell $11 billion of arms package to them.
00:02:21.200and they authorized the largest ever Taiwan arms deal but has not begun fulfilling China demanded
00:02:27.820Washington honor its commitments and this is in December 2025 so here's what Rubio had to say
00:02:33.120go ahead Rob yeah U.S. policy on the issue of Taiwan is unchanged as of today and as of the
00:02:38.680meeting that we had here today it was raised they always raise it on their side we always make clear
00:02:43.100our position and we move on to the other topics we know where they stand and I think they know
00:02:46.560where we stand yeah u.s paul straight up okay for him to have that conversation and by the way
00:02:52.000taiwan said thank you you know express gratitude for washington's long-term support and views
00:02:56.960actions contributing to regional stability positively xi is saying hey halt the 11
00:03:01.420billion dollar weapon sale to taiwan so you have to realize this is an interesting place because
00:03:05.880china can like wait a minute you want me to be okay with you selling to taiwan but you don't
00:03:10.100you don't want me to sell and help out iran why not this is a double standard so they're probably
00:03:14.920going to use that in the negotiation tactics to see who has what leverage Tom what do you stand
00:03:19.580with this where I stand is this don't sell that stuff to them and what Taiwan yeah so when they
00:03:26.220say that stop don't do this what they're really saying is we're going to take it we're going to
00:03:33.040take it and if you're selling this you're going to make it more bloody because if we don't jump in
00:03:40.280or Japan offers support or even Australia offers support, you know, naval support.
00:03:47.900Japan, Australia, they could get there very quickly.
00:05:25.900So then Besant comes out and says, hey, this is why China has a significantly greater interest
00:05:30.580in reopening the Strait of Hormuz compared to the U.S., and he's right.
00:05:33.580He's right. So Trump's like, yeah, whatever. But they're like, yeah, maybe whatever to you. But we're being impacted by it. Rob, I don't know if you have that clip by Bessent on Bessent making comments in regards to this. Is that it, Rob, or is it a different clip?
00:05:47.460I believe this is a different clip. This is him talking about the bilateral board of trade.
00:05:54.380Well, it kind of goes with it. Put this one kind of goes with it.
00:05:58.060The vice premier and I, who have a very good working relationship, I think we've seen each other, this was either our eighth or ninth meeting, worked on the agenda for today's meeting in terms of the economics, the deliverables.
00:06:12.160And so we talked about purchases. We talked about some issues that the Chinese side have.
00:06:20.680And we're going to talk about forming a board of trade for the bilateral trade between the U.S. and China.
00:06:30.620And we're going to talk about a board of investment that will be responsible for investment in nonsensitive areas.
00:06:38.860Yeah, so, okay, so there's Besson talking about that.
00:06:41.820You know, he's kind of, you know, bringing up on the economy side
00:06:44.780because he's dealing with a different issue.
00:06:46.640And in the meantime, you know who people are talking about that's missing?
00:06:51.660The guy named J.D. Vance that wasn't on the trip.
00:06:53.400Now, you know, Tom made it very clear yesterday why J.D.
00:06:57.520and the president didn't travel together.
00:06:59.280Tom, if you want to make that clear for the audience,
00:07:00.980why the president and the VP don't travel together.
00:07:03.300The president and VP don't travel on the same plane together at all.
00:07:42.740The president just landed in China a few hours ago.
00:07:46.300I always, you know, you may know that because of Secret Service protocols that I don't travel outside of the country with the president of the United States.
00:07:53.620So on days to day, I sometimes feel like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone.
00:07:57.580I walk into the White House and it's very quiet and no one's there.
00:08:00.480And it takes me a second to realize exactly what's going on.
00:08:03.060But we've got a very big announcement today, actually a number of big announcements.
00:08:05.880and so jd wasn't there and and so you know why isn't jd there why is he taking rubio why is rubio
00:08:11.760you know negotiating jd's not going that was the reason there's there in this specific moment it's
00:08:16.820not like one side or the other however is there anything else rap with china that we got to
00:08:22.460address before we get into the next story china or taiwan it was one funny clip pad that we didn't
00:08:26.460play when that he goes how'd you feel meeting him on hannity and he goes he's very tall for a chinese