Highlights:
- Trump warned Taiwan against formally declaring independence.
- The remarks came after his summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing.
- Trump said the US wants stability and does not want war.
- Xi warned Taiwan is the most important issue in US-China relations.
- Taiwan said US arms sales remain key to regional security.
President Donald Trump warned Taiwan against formally declaring independence from China following his two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Speaking to Fox News on Friday (15), Trump said, “I'm not looking to have somebody go independent.” His comments came after discussions with Xi about Taiwan and rising tensions in the region.
Taiwanese president Lai Ching-te has previously said that Taiwan does not need to declare formal independence because it already considers itself a sovereign nation.
The United States has long supported Taiwan and is legally required to provide the island with means of self-defense. At the same time, Washington also maintains diplomatic ties with China and officially follows the “One China” policy, which recognizes there is only one Chinese government.
Trump said US policy on Taiwan had not changed. “You know, we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles (15,289km) to fight a war. I'm not looking for that. I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down,” he told Fox News.
Earlier, while traveling back to Washington, Trump told reporters that he and Xi had spoken “a lot” about Taiwan. However, he said he refused to discuss whether the US would defend the island if conflict broke out.
Trump added that Xi “feels very strongly” about Taiwan and “doesn't want to see a movement for independence.”
According to Chinese state media, Xi warned during the talks that “The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations.” He also said: “If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict.”
When asked whether he expected conflict with China over Taiwan, Trump replied: “No, I don't think so. I think we'll be fine. [Xi] doesn't want to see a war.”
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out taking control of the island by force. Beijing has also increased military drills around Taiwan in recent years, raising tensions across the region.
Late last year, the Trump administration announced an $11 billion weapons package for Taiwan that included advanced rocket launchers and missiles. China strongly criticized the move.
Trump said he would soon decide whether the sale would move forward and added that he and Xi discussed it “in great detail.” He also said: “I'm going to say I have to speak to the person that right now is, you know, you know who he is, that's running Taiwan.”
The US does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, although unofficial ties remain strong. Traditionally, US presidents do not directly communicate with Taiwan’s leaders because it can create major tensions with Beijing. China considers Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te a separatist.
Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi said Taiwan would need to better understand Trump’s comments. He also said US arms sales to Taiwan are protected under American law.
“Taiwan-US arms sales have always been a cornerstone of regional peace and stability,” Chen said.
A spokesperson for President Lai said American arms sales are part of the “US security commitment” to Taiwan and “serve as a shared deterrent against regional threats.”
Trump also said: “We're not looking to have wars, and if you kept it the way it is, I think China's going to be OK with that. But we're not looking to have somebody say, 'Let's go independent because the United States is backing us.'”
