Shadowing Practice: China issues stark new warning to Trump on Taiwan - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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President Trump and China's President XI are attending a state banquet in Beijing after the first day of their bilateral talks.
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President Trump and China's President XI are attending a state banquet in Beijing after the first day of their bilateral talks.
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Now, a white House official described it as a good meeting and said the two discussed Iran trade and energy.
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But beyond the pomp and circumstance, tensions are growing over Taiwan.
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Chinese state media reported that she warned Trump that Taiwan, the democratic self-governing island that Beijing views as part of its territory, is, quote, the most important issue in China-U.S.
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relations and could create a very dangerous situation if mishandled.
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Some observers viewing that as a threat.
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CNN Will Ripley is live this morning in Taipei, Taiwan.
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It seems like this island with China has threatened to take by force, is really emerging for China as a key issue here of the summit.
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Meanwhile, sort is the tale of two straits.
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Meanwhile, you've got the Strait of Hormuz also lingering there, with the president wanting China to help get that open.
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Yeah. You know, it's interesting, Sarah, because the officials here in Taipei were sort of expecting this kind of language from XI Jinping.
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It didn't come as a surprise that it was the first thing that Chinese state media reported this comment, basically saying that if the US and China mishandled the issue of Taiwan, it could lead to a military conflict.
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We've heard that sort of thing from Beijing repeatedly over the years.
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It is noteworthy, but not surprising, that that was the first line of information that they chose to leak to the Xinhua News Agency.
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I want to read you a little bit more of the quote that was reported by Chinese state media from XI Jinping.
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He said, quote, Taiwan independence and cross-strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water.
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Safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the biggest common denominator between China and the US.
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And because they were expecting that kind of language here in Taipei, there was a response very quickly from the Taiwan cabinet spokesperson, Michelle Lee.
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I'll read you that as well. Sarah said.
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China's military threat is the sole source of insecurity in the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
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Continuous enhancement of defense and effective joint deterrence are the most critical factors to ensuring regional security.
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The reason why they talked about enhancement of defense is because one big concern that they have here in Taipei is that behind closed doors, XI Jinping could ask President Trump to either delay or stall, or flat out deny a $14 billion arms sales package that Taiwan's parliament has approved.
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But it has yet to be approved by President Trump in Washington.
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It's still in limbo.
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That would be a major setback for Taiwan if President Trump didn't approve that package quickly, because it would basically indicate that he's willing to negotiate Taiwan security in exchange for some sort of grand bargain.
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That was, of course, the big concern that Taiwanese officials expressed in the days and weeks leading up to this meeting.
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We heard from the Taiwan foreign minister, who said that he hoped this summit would bring no surprises.
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The deputy foreign minister said he was afraid that Taiwan could be on the menu.
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So even though they knew here in Taipei that she was going to press this claim that Beijing has had for 75 years that Taiwan belongs to China, even though Taiwan has had its own government and its own military the entire time.
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And also, by the way, happens to have the production of all of the world's nearly all of the world's most advanced chips that are crucial to the United States, deep investment in AI.
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Without Taiwan, the entire tech economy would essentially collapse if the supply chain were disrupted.
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So Taiwan knows that they have that leverage.
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They're hoping that President Trump keeps that in mind when he's in talks with XI Jinping and doesn't send the message that Taiwan security is up for negotiation.
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While President Trump praised President XI, the Chinese president warned President Trump today that the U.S.
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and China could clash over Taiwan if the issue wasn't handled properly.
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Are both leaders further apart on the issues that Trump would like to acknowledge?
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Certainly on that one, Wolf, there's no question, at least historically, on the U.S.
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posture. We have not heard President Trump say much about what he thinks of what could happen with China and Taiwan and the U.S. is role going forward.
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And so it's interesting that President XI, you know, made this quite clear at the outset, the prospect of a of a clash of China, taking over Taiwan or attempting to take over Taiwan.
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And then what does the U.S.
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do when it has all kinds of implications, in terms of semiconductors, in terms of, chips manufacturing and so forth, that we don't quite know what this looks like in a, in a Trump 2.0.
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I will be interested to see if President Trump discusses much of what he actually thinks on that front publicly, as as much as President Trump often seems unable to help himself from blurting certain things out.
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There are areas where he tends to keep his own views a little more closely held, and I suspect this is going to be one of them.
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But we'll see.
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With us now is Congressman Mark Alford, a Republican from Missouri.
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Congressman, always great to see you.
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Let me read you part of that statement from China again.
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Quote, if it is not handled properly and this is he's talking about the Taiwan issue here.
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If it is not handled properly, the two countries may clash or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-U.S.
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relationship into a very dangerous situation.
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So some see that as a warning or a threat from President XI.
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You care deeply about Taiwan.
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You have been there, traveling there in the last couple of years.
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What do you think the clear U.S.
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statement on Taiwan should be?
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Well, John, thanks for having me on.
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Look, we have had since 1979 the Taiwan Relations Act, from Congress, a policy of strategic ambiguity.
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We're not saying they're an independent nation, but we're not saying they're part of China, either.
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We don't have an embassy there.
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We have an American Institute of Taiwan.
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I've been there.
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It's a very beautiful facility.
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But Taiwan is important to us.
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It's important for their chip manufacturing, for drone capabilities.
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Our our partnership with Taiwan is important, but also our partnership, a burgeoning partnership, it looks like, between Trump and Ji and this new era that she has described is also important.
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We've got to make sure, that trade, continues.
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We've got to make sure that we, are able to export our Missouri soybeans and pork, to China and Taiwan also, of course, is buying some of those as well.
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It is a delicate tap dance at this point, but but look, in the appropriations process, excuse me, in the appropriations process, just two weeks ago, under the full committee for appropriations, we appropriated $500 million for Taiwan and foreign military financing.
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That is up from 300 million just one year ago.
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So we're I think we're sending a signal to Taiwan that we value them, but we also value President Trump's initiative to to better relations with China.
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Would you want those better relations to come at the expense of any reduced arms sales to Taiwan?
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No. Taiwan needs to to be ready for what could happen.
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And under our, strategic ambiguity, the 1979, Taiwan relations Act, we have committed to not necessarily aid in their self-defense, but give them what they need to defend against any, aggression from China.
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And that's very important that we live up to that.
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Joining us now is Democratic Senator Chris Coons from Delaware.
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He sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
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Thanks for being here.
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Senator, I appreciate it.
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Z Jinping saying this about Taiwan.
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According to, state media, the Taiwan issue is the most important issue in China-U.S.
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relations. And also saying if mishandled, the two nations will experience an experienced collision or even clashes, pushing the entire China-U.S.
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relationship into a highly dangerous situation.
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Do you see do you see that as a threat from Iran?
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Absolutely.
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That's a threat from XI Jinping.
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And our challenge is that we have a distracted president and a distracted secretary of defense.
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I'm the senior Democrat on defense appropriations.
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And when we had Secretary Haig sat in front of our subcommittee this week, I really pressed him on.
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What's the plan to end this war in Iran and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz?
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The Iranians have just made a next strategic step, which is allowing Chinese super tankers full of oil to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
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Meanwhile, 2000 other ships critical for fertilizer, for fuel, for gas are still stuck because Iran has the ability to hit them at any time with cheap and lethal drones.
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So XI, in some way metaphorically, has us over a barrel and Trump has gone into these negotiations in the weakest position of any modern president, because he promised to lower our costs when he ran for president.
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Instead, the price of gas is going up, the price of groceries is going up, inflation is going up.
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And China has been increasingly aggressive in the last year.
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Kate, around the Strait of Taiwan, transiting all of Australia with a naval flotilla for the first time, crossing the midline on an almost daily basis and threatening Taiwan with rehearsals of a military blockade or invasion.
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So this is a very tenuous moment, Kate, and I'm concerned that President Trump will make concessions in exchange for a temporary benefit, like buying more soybeans.
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He will give up licensing our most advanced AI chips.
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The CEO of Nvidia, the American company that makes the most advanced chips, joined this trip at the last minute, and I'm concerned that a chips for beans deal would actually be a strategic loss for the United States.
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About This Lesson

In this lesson, learners will focus on improving their English speaking skills through the context of international relations, specifically the dialogue between China and the U.S. regarding Taiwan. You will practice using meaningful phrases that convey tension and diplomatic language, helping you articulate complex topics about global issues. By the end of this session, you will feel more comfortable discussing sensitive subjects effectively and with clarity.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Self-governing island - Refers to Taiwan's autonomous status, which China disputes.
  • Taiwan independence - The concept of Taiwan being a separate nation from China, a contentious point in this dialogue.
  • Cross-strait peace - The desire for stability and peaceful relations between Taiwan and China.
  • Military conflict - A serious issue raised in discussions about Taiwan, highlighting potential violence.
  • Enhancement of defense - Describes increasing military capabilities to ensure safety, significant for Taiwan's security.
  • Arms sales package - A reference to military equipment agreements crucial for Taiwan's defense.
  • Global supply chain - The interconnected production and distribution systems that Taiwan plays a crucial role in, especially in technology.
  • Diplomatic relations - The management of interactions and policies between countries, vital for resolving tensions.

Practice Tips

To effectively improve your speaking skills using the shadowing technique, focus on mimicking the tone and speed of the dialogue presented in the video. Pay attention to how emotions are conveyed, especially in discussions that entail tension or urgency surrounding Taiwan. Here are some targeted tips on how to apply the shadow speak method:

  • Listen actively: Start by listening to small segments of the video, particularly those that encapsulate key points about Taiwan and China's warnings.
  • Repeat aloud: Use the shadowspeak method by repeating full sentences right after you hear them. Aim to match the speaker's pace and emotion accurately.
  • Focus on pronunciation: Emphasize difficult words like "independence" and "diplomatic" as they can be challenging. This will enhance your clarity in speech.
  • Record yourself: After practicing, record your attempts and listen to them. This helps identify areas for improvement, making your shadowing practice on this shadowing site more effective.
  • Engage with context: Think about the implications of the phrases you are learning, discussing them with classmates or language partners to reinforce understanding.

By integrating these strategies into your practice, you can achieve greater fluency and confidence when discussing international topics in English.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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