US President Donald Trump has warned Taiwan against formally declaring independence from China, following high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Speaking to Fox News after his two-day summit with Xi, Trump said the United States was not seeking conflict over the self-governing island.
“I’m not looking to have somebody go independent,” Trump said, reaffirming Washington’s long-standing position that it does not support formal Taiwanese independence.
Trump added that he wanted tensions in the region to ease, saying, “I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down.”
The Taiwan issue reportedly featured heavily during discussions between the two leaders. According to Chinese state media, Xi warned that Taiwan remains the most sensitive issue in China-US relations and cautioned that mishandling it could lead to serious conflict between the two powers.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has repeatedly stated that it could use force if necessary to bring the island under Beijing’s control. In recent years, China has intensified military drills around Taiwan, raising concerns across the Indo-Pacific region.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has previously argued that Taiwan already functions as a sovereign nation and therefore does not need to formally declare independence. Beijing, however, has labelled Lai a “troublemaker” and accused him of promoting separatism.
During the interview, Trump declined to say whether the US would militarily defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack. He also noted that Washington was reviewing a proposed multibillion-dollar weapons package for Taiwan, including missile systems and advanced rocket launchers.
The United States maintains unofficial but close ties with Taiwan and is legally obligated to help the island maintain its self-defence capabilities. However, Washington officially recognizes only one Chinese government under its long-standing “One China” policy.
Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi responded cautiously to Trump’s remarks, saying Taipei would seek clarification regarding the exact meaning of the comments. He emphasized that US arms sales remain an important pillar of regional peace and stability.
Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said Taiwan continued to monitor developments closely and maintained communication with the United States and other allies to safeguard regional stability and Taiwan’s interests.
He also accused China of escalating tensions through aggressive military activities and authoritarian pressure in the region.