00:00Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te says he would be happy to speak with US President Donald Trump
00:05in a move that will break more than four decades of diplomatic protocol
00:09and risk heightening tensions with China.
00:12It comes after Trump said he plans to speak with Lai,
00:15marking the second time since his summit in Beijing last week
00:19that he has raised the possibility of direct contact.
00:25American and Taiwanese leaders have not spoken directly
00:28since Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.
00:33The development comes as the White House weighs a possible $14 billion arms package for Taiwan.
00:40In an interview with Fox News,
00:42Trump suggested the arms sales could be used as leverage in talks with China.
00:46During his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week,
00:49Beijing urged Washington to handle the Taiwan issue with extreme caution.
00:54Despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties,
00:57the United States remains Taiwan's main security backer under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.
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