The Chinese Communist Party is playing the long game. Since 1949, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has eyed Taiwan — a thriving island nation of 23 million — falsely claiming it must “return” to Chinese control, even though Taiwan isn’t, and never has been, part of China.

For decades, the United States has stood as a bulwark against China, forging bipartisan consensus around trade and security with Taiwan. That balance is now at risk.

Over the weekend, The Wall Street Journal reported Chinese President Xi Jinping believes he can convince President Donald Trump to explicitly oppose Taiwanese independence in exchange for a trade deal.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is weighing a 1:1 domestic-to-import ratio for computer chips — requiring manufacturers to produce one chip here for every one made overseas, or face tariffs of up to 100%.

Both proposals tie directly to Trump’s trade agenda — and both would undercut U.S. interests, especially Colorado’s. If Trump wants to maintain his “China hawk” global street cred, he’d be wise to push back on Xi and rethink his chip plan.

The U.S. is Taiwan’s 7th-largest trading partner. At $3.67 billion in 2024, America is Taiwan’s top source of agricultural imports — with Colorado among the key states. Just this month, Taiwan’s agricultural minister led a delegation to the US, pledging $10 billion in American beef, soybeans, corn and wheat purchases over four years.

Colorado lawmakers have noticed. Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed a bipartisan resolution highlighting Taiwan as one of Colorado’s top-ten trading partners “both as an export destination and as an import source.”

Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera led a Colorado delegation to Taiwan to explore high-tech industries from aerospace to semiconductors. A Taiwanese delegation also visited high-tech Colorado — fitting, since Taiwan produces more than 60% of the world’s semiconductors and 90% of the most advanced chips, primarily by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

Therein lies the rub: If Trump enforces a 1:1 mandate, it won’t just rattle global markets — it will jam supply, spark shortages and likely send prices soaring — from laptops and phones to cars and Colorado’s farm tractors.

The US doesn’t have the capacity to double domestic production overnight, nor do we have the workforce or infrastructure to do it. Building new fabrication plants takes years and billions of dollars. Even then, ramping up production takes time.

It would also kneecap Taiwan, which counts on chip exports to America, Colorado included. But that interdependence isn’t just trade — it’s strategic. It deters Chinese aggression and stabilizes the Pacific. Taiwan isn’t just a trading partner; it’s a free, democratic counterbalance to authoritarian China. If Beijing absorbs Taiwan, they control the world’s chip supply. The consequences for Asia, America and the globe would be devastating.

“The China threat is real and imminent because Taiwan sits at the heart of (Asia’s) first island chain,” Debby Huang, director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Denver, told me on KHOW radio. “We play a vital role in resisting authoritarian expansion. It’s not about the distant future. It’s happening now.”

“Every day, Chinese ships and planes circle the Taiwan Strait,” Huang continued. “It’s not just about military pressure. We also have to deal with the economic coercion, nonstop disinformation campaigns and cyber-attacks. That’s what they are doing in Taiwan now.”

As a China hawk, the last thing Trump should do is retreat on US support for Taiwan. Handing to Xi Jinping what he wants under the guise of a trade deal wouldn’t just embolden Beijing — it would undercut Trump’s own push to boost TSMC’s American production and leave Xi on stronger global footing.

Taiwan isn’t a bargaining chip for short-term economic gains. It’s a linchpin of the global economy and a check on Chinese aggression. Trump’s first term showed he understood that, and hopefully it’s a sign Xi won’t get what he wants.

Instead, Trump should expand Taiwan’s role in the international system. China has increasingly twisted UN Resolution 2758 — which gave the PRC China’s UN seat in 1971 — to isolate Taiwan, even though the resolution never addressed Taiwan’s political status or barred its participation.

Allies like Canada, Australia, the UK and the EU have called out China. Earlier this year, the Senate introduced a resolution condemning Beijing’s misuse of 2758 — with Colorado’s Michael Bennet among the bipartisan cosponsors. The Colorado legislature’s Taiwan resolution urged its inclusion in international bodies.

Taiwan isn’t asking for UN membership — just “meaningful participation” in bodies like the World Health Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization. That exclusion carries real risks. The Taipei Flight Information Region manages more than 1.8 million flights a year, yet Taiwan is barred from ICAO thanks to Communist China. “Because we cannot participate, this prevents Taiwan from getting real-time information and we cannot share information,” Huang told me. “It’s a risk for everyone flying through Asia.”

Trump must champion Taiwan’s place in the international system — and scrap the chip mandate. Xi is betting he’ll trade away Taiwan for a deal. Don’t take that bet. America’s priority must be clear: stand with a democratic ally that checks Beijing and fuels our innovation. Colorado’s economy depends on it. So does the free world.

Jimmy Sengenberger is an investigative journalist, public speaker, and longtime local talk-radio host. Reach Jimmy online at Jimmysengenberger.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @SengCenter.