US President Donald Trump has cautioned Taiwan against formally declaring independence from China following his two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump said he was not looking to support any move toward Taiwanese independence, stressing that the United States wants to avoid conflict and maintain stability in the region.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has previously maintained that Taiwan already considers itself a sovereign nation and therefore does not need to formally declare independence.
The United States has long supported Taiwan’s self-defence capabilities while also maintaining diplomatic relations with China under the longstanding “One China” policy, which recognises Beijing as the sole Chinese government.
Trump stated that US policy on Taiwan had not changed and emphasized that Washington does not support unilateral changes to the current status quo. He added that both he and Xi discussed Taiwan extensively during the summit, with the Chinese leader expressing strong opposition to any independence movement.
According to Chinese state media, Xi warned that the Taiwan issue remains the most sensitive matter in US-China relations and cautioned that mishandling the matter could lead to serious conflict between the two nations.
Trump also said he hoped tensions would ease, noting that neither side wanted war over Taiwan. He declined to confirm whether the United States would militarily defend the island in the event of conflict.
China has increased military activity around Taiwan in recent years, while the US continues to strengthen unofficial ties with Taipei, including proposed arms sales worth billions of dollars.
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said Taipei had closely monitored the US-China summit and remained committed to maintaining strong relations with the United States while safeguarding regional peace and stability.
