The United States abruptly cancelled a planned meeting between its defense officials and Taiwan’s Defence Minister Wellington Koo in June, as trade talks with China took precedence, according to a Financial Times report on Wednesday.

Koo had planned to visit the Washington area for high-level discussions with US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby. However, the Trump administration called off the meeting at the last minute, the report said, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

The move highlights President Donald Trump’s strategic balancing act—showing hesitancy to support Taiwan in ways that might jeopardize sensitive trade negotiations with Beijing.

No Official Comment Yet

Neither the White House nor the Pentagon responded to requests for comment. Taiwan’s embassy in Washington also did not immediately issue a statement.

The report suggests that while Washington continues to affirm its unofficial ties with Taipei, it remains cautious about overt moves that could escalate tensions with China—especially when broader economic negotiations are underway.

This development comes amid growing US-China friction over trade, Taiwan, and technology. It also reflects a broader trend in the Trump administration’s foreign policy of transactional diplomacy, where economic interests often dictate strategic decisions.