HONG KONG — President Donald Trump has spoken with the leaders of U.S. ally Japan and rival superpower China amid the pair’s escalating dispute over Taiwan .

Trump’s surprise call Monday with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping , was followed by a call with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi , who angered China earlier this month with comments on the Beijing-claimed island democracy.

Both China and Japan said Trump initiated the calls, which the White House has not confirmed.

The dispute began when Takaichi, who was elected last month, told lawmakers that a hypothetical Chinese attack on self-ruling Taiwan, which at its closest point is about 70 miles from Japanese territory, could threaten Japan’s survival and trigger a military response from Tokyo.

It was the firs

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