Taiwan is pushing back gently after Trump named its representative office in Washington as a funder of a liberal think tank, a mild embarrassment for Taipei at a delicate diplomatic moment.

• Trump criticized the Center for American Progress and pointed to Taiwan's US office as one of its backers.
• Ruling-party lawmaker Chen Kuan-ting said Taiwan works with think tanks across the political spectrum and treats both US parties the same.
• Taipei's team in Washington should explain to the White House what these think tank ties are for, so normal contacts are not read as meddling.
• The timing is awkward, coming just before a planned Trump-Xi meeting.
• Taiwan is stressing gratitude for US arms sales while insisting it stays out of American party politics.

Outlook: Taipei will likely keep quietly courting both parties while trying to reassure the Trump administration that its Washington spending is research, not politics.