US President Donald Trump has spoken out against Taiwan’s push for independence from China, according to reports following his two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
“I’m not looking to have somebody go independent,” Trump told Fox News on Friday.
When asked if Taiwan should feel more or less secure after the Beijing summit, Trump told Fox News, “Neutral. This has been going on for years,” Trump answered, noting that US policy regarding Taiwan has not changed.
“…we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I’m not looking for that. I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down.” He added
Despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties, the US is the most important international backer for democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its territory.
On the flight back to Washington, he told reporters that he and Xi discussed the island “a lot” but did not address whether the US would defend it the BBC reported saturday.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has previously stated that Taiwan does not need to declare formal independence because it already views itself as a sovereign nation.
Trump also noted to reporters that Xi “feels very strongly” about the island and “doesn’t want to see a movement for independence,” according to the BBC.
Xi reportedly told Trump on Thursday that if the Taiwan issue is not handled well, the two countries will clash or even come into conflict, pushing China-US relations into “a very dangerous place,” Xinhua reported.
When asked if he expected a conflict with China over Taiwan, Trump responded, “No, I don’t think so. I believe we’ll be fine. [Xi] doesn’t want to see a war.”
US-Taiwan arms deal on the rocks?
Last year, the Trump administration approved $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, the largest ever US weapons package for the island, which was strongly condemned by Beijing.
After the Beijing summit, Trump announced that he would soon decide whether to proceed with the arms deal, noting that he and Xi had discussed the matter “in great detail.”
He added, “I need to speak to the person who is currently overseeing Taiwan; you know who he is.”
In response, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Chen Ming-chi, stated on Saturday that Taiwan would need to ‘clarify the exact meaning’ of Trump’s remarks.
Taiwan’s government also emphasized the importance of US arms supplies on Saturday, asserting that these sales are grounded in US law and act as a shared deterrent against regional threats.
Although Trump indicated he had not made a decision regarding future arms sales, Taiwan expressed gratitude for President Donald Trump’s longstanding support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
President Lai Ching-te’s spokesperson, Karen Kuo, also highlighted that Washington is legally obligated by the Taiwan Relations Act to supply weapons to Taiwan.
In response to Trump’s comments, she stated, “Arms sales between Taiwan and the United States are not only part of the US security commitment to Taiwan, as explicitly outlined in the Taiwan Relations Act, but they also serve as a mutual deterrent against regional threats.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
