President Trump has ruffled feathers on the independent island province of Taiwan by declaring that “Taiwan should pay us for defense.”

Far from arousing fears that Mr. Trump would leave Taiwan to the tender mercies of Communist China if he returns to the White House, however, that remark has met with qualified understanding by Taiwan’s independence-minded leadership.

Even as Beijing tries to intimidate Taiwan by sending planes and ships within striking distance of the island, the government of President Lai appears inclined to shrug off the prospect of Trump telling Taiwan to go it alone.

Mr. Lai avoided the topic by referring the question to the foreign ministry, which got out of saying anything by saying it doesn’t comment on foreign political campaigns. So it was up to Mr. Lai’s no. 2, the premier, Cho Jung-tai, to promise that Taiwan would be “willing to take on more responsibility.”

“Taiwan has steadily strengthened its defense budget and demonstrated its responsibility to the international community,” Taiwan’s Central News Agency quoted Mr. Cho as telling a press conference. “We are defending ourselves and ensuring our security.”

Trump got attention in an interview with Bloomberg by saying, “I know the people (of Taiwan) very well, respect them greatly,” before getting to the point. “They did take about 100 percent of our chip business,” he said, referring to the supremacy of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which makes 90 percent of the world’s semiconductors and counts Apple and Nvidia among its biggest markets.

“You know, we’re no different than an insurance company,” Mr. Trump said when asked if Taiwan should be paying for its defenses. “Taiwan doesn’t give us anything.”

That’s not entirely true, though, considering that Taiwan last November agreed to pay $80 million for American military gear in keeping with President Biden’s pledge of Washington’s “commitment” to defend the island if the Chinese ever make good on longstanding threats to take it over 

In addition, Taiwan is getting a good chunk of $8 billion in military aid approved by Congress in April, much of it for buying F16 fighters, Abrams tanks, and high-mobility artillery rocket systems.

The Chinese propaganda machine seemed more excited by Trump’s remarks than did anyone on Taiwan. 

“Trump’s words reflect the strong intention of many US politicians who attempt to replenish the US economy by exploiting the Taiwan island,” the Global Times, an offshoot of Beijing’s People’s Daily, said. Taiwanese authorities “should be trembling now,” the paper asserted. They “must be feeling on edge, terrified.”

On Taiwan, Mr.  Cho said all sides agree “peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific are everyone’s concern,” the Taipei Times reported. “Taiwan is thankful to the U.S.,” he added, for supporting Taiwan’s bid to participate in international organizations — something Beijing strenuously opposes.

Taiwan leaders, however,  do not want to change the status quo in which Taiwan and America maintain ties through non-government “institutes” while Washington affirms that Taiwan is still part of China, from which it’s been independent since Chinese Nationalist forces fled to the island as Mao’s Red Army was taking over the mainland in 1949.