Taiwan President Lai Ching-te says he would be happy to speak with Donald Trump, according to reports from Al Jazeera and Free Malaysia Today. The remarks come amid a long-standing diplomatic gap between Washington and Taipei. Since the United States shifted diplomatic recognition from Taiwan (Taipei) to the People’s Republic of China (Beijing) in 1979, presidents in Washington and Taipei have not held direct calls with each other at the head-of-state level. Both outlets note that the US and Taiwanese presidents have therefore not spoken directly since that policy change. The statements reflect Lai’s willingness to engage with a Trump administration or with Trump personally, should communication be possible. The reports do not describe the specifics of any proposed meeting or call, nor do they indicate whether Trump has responded or whether the US government would support direct contact. Overall, the coverage centers on Lai’s expressed openness to conversation and the historical context of the lack of direct presidential communication since 1979.