Taiwan's government and opposition are openly split over how much protection Washington will give Taipei ahead of a Trump–Xi summit, a sign of political nerves before the meeting.

• Xi Jinping is expected to meet Trump in the US on September 24, with Taiwan's status hanging over the talks.
• Taiwan's foreign minister Lin Chia-lung said Beijing wants to "manage Trump" and push a US-China deal over Taiwan's head, but that Taipei and Washington are the ones managing China.
• His argument: Taiwan's interests and US interests line up on the first island chain, on supply chains that avoid China, and on democracy, so Washington would hurt itself by selling Taiwan out.
• The opposition KMT called that wishful thinking, saying US interests have never equalled Taiwan's — otherwise Trump would not be discussing Taiwan with Xi at all, and arms sales would not be a bargaining chip.
• The KMT also hit the Lai government for frozen ties with Beijing and for not yet arranging a Lai transit stop on the US mainland.

Outlook: The September 24 summit will show whether Taiwan is a topic Trump trades on or one he leaves alone.