Trump urged Japan PM to avoid escalation in China dispute, sources say

U.S. President Donald Trump urged Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to avoid further escalation in a dispute with China during a call this week, two Japanese government sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Takaichi triggered the biggest diplomatic bust-up with Beijing in years when she told parliament earlier this month that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger Japanese military action.

Trump's call with Takaichi on November 25 followed a call between Trump and Xi Jinping, in which the Chinese leader said Taiwan's "return to China" is a key part of Beijing's vision for the world order, China's official Xinhua news agency reported.


China claims democratically ruled Taiwan and has not ruled out using force to take control of it. The island's government rejects Beijing's claim and says only Taiwan's people can decide their future.

Trump's call for Takaichi to lower the volume in the dispute was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

"The United States' relationship with China is very good, and that's also very good for Japan, who is our dear and close ally," the White House said in a statement in response to Reuters' questions.

Japan's Prime Minister's Office referred questions to its earlier official readout of the call which said that the two leaders discussed U.S.-China relations, without elaborating.