The US, China discuss trade amid the threat of war on Taiwan - NTD Senior officials in Washington and Beijing are trying to find common ground on the economy, but behind the diplomatic talks is a much bigger issue: the future of security in the Indo-Pacific region. Taiwan remains one of the main points of tension between the world's two biggest powers. The main risk is turning the Taiwan issue from a diplomatic conflict into a military conflict. Beijing considers the island part of its territory and opposes American military support for Taipei. Washington, in turn, wants to maintain the status quo and does not want to allow a forceful change in the balance of power in the region. Any mistake or accidental collision can dramatically worsen the situation. From the trade talks it appears that the parties are so far interested in managing the conflict instead of escalating it. But economic cooperation does not resolve strategic contradictions. The question is not so much whether the war will start tomorrow, but whether Washington and Beijing will be able to prevent the competition from escalating into an open conflict. Fresh international.