World

Context: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a meeting with Trump Monday that he would welcome the president's help in mediating the 70-year conflict in the disputed territory, where tensions between the two nuclear powers bubbled up earlier this year.

• Trump responded that Modi asked him two weeks ago whether he would like to be a "mediator or arbitrator," and said he'd follow up with the Indian prime minister.

Why it matters: Indian media and politicians instantly jumped on Trump's comments, claiming no Indian prime minister would dare seek third-party mediation.

• The 1972 Simla Agreement signed by both nations was designed by India to "constrain Pakistan from involving third parties in discussions about the future of Kashmir," delinking the border from UN resolutions in order to ensure that the issue was a "purely bilateral affair," per The Hindu.

The bottom line: Modi asking Trump to intervene would have amounted to a stunning and embarrassing request, which is likely why the government was so quick to outright reject the president's claim.

Details: President Tsai’s "Journey of Freedom, Democracy, Sustainability," wrapping up Monday, focused on Haiti and several smaller Caribbean nations.

• In Haiti, Tsai met with President Jovenel Moise, who praised Taiwan’s assistance "in agricultural and energy matters, as well as other investments essential to the development of Haiti."
• Tsai's 4-day trip to St. Kitts and Nevis marked the first-ever visit by a Taiwanese president to the island of Nevis, where Tsai broke ground on a national park.
• In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, President Tsai met with Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and addressed the parliament to praise joint efforts on sustainable development.
• Tsai concluded her trip in St. Lucia, where she met with government leaders and toured agricultural and infrastructure projects.

Yes, but: Notably absent from the itinerary were visits to Guatemala, Honduras and Belize — longstanding allies considered likely to switch support to China. Although these countries are not yet a lost cause, and all recently sent high-level visitors to Taiwan, Tsai's trip redoubled efforts with smaller allies.

• The Trump administration has supported Taiwan and harshly criticized countries that have changed sides, but its efforts haven't reversed the larger trend.

What to watch: Taiwan’s Caribbean campaign is likely to buy time as China continues making economic inroads across the region. However, the emphasis on photo ops, symbolism and warm words over substantive new projects leaves an opening for deeper Chinese engagement that will likely irritate Washington when it comes to pass.

Daniel P. Erikson is managing director at Blue Star Strategies and a senior fellow at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement.