US President Donald Trump’s warning against any push for Taiwanese independence has triggered a sharp response from Taipei, putting the sensitive Taiwan issue back in the spotlight after his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Hours after Trump said the US was “not looking to have somebody go independent”, Taiwan hit back by declaring that it is already a sovereign and independent democracy and is not subordinate to China.
After his two-day meeting with Xi in Beijing, Trump stressed that Washington wanted tensions in the Taiwan Strait to “cool down”, as per a Fox News report. He also appeared reluctant about the over the island.
“You know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I’m not looking for that,” Trump said, while adding that he did not believe China wanted a war over Taiwan either.
The during Trump’s talks with Xi.
According to Chinese state media, Xi described Taiwan as the and warned that mishandling it could push the two powers towards conflict.
Taiwan responded within hours, firmly rejecting Beijing’s claim over the self-ruled island.
“Taiwan is a sovereign and independent democratic nation, and is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The ministry also said that “Beijing has no right to claim jurisdiction over Taiwan” and added that Taipei would continue deepening cooperation with the United States while safeguarding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Trump’s remarks are significant because Washington has long tried to balance its unofficial support for Taiwan with its formal diplomatic ties with China under the “One China” policy. While the US does not officially recognise Taiwan as a country, it remains the island’s biggest international backer and is legally committed to helping it defend itself.
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has repeatedly argued that the island does not need to formally declare independence because it already operates as a sovereign nation. Beijing, however, views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has repeatedly refused to rule out the use of force to bring it under Chinese control.
In the Fox News interview after the Xi meeting, Trump insisted US policy had not changed and suggested stability depended on maintaining the current status quo.
“We’re not looking to have wars,” he said. “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.’”
Taiwanese officials later sought to reassure the public following Trump’s remarks. Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi said Taipei would seek clarity on Trump’s comments but stressed that US arms sales to Taiwan were protected under American law.
A spokesperson for President Lai also described American weapons support as part of Washington’s “security commitment” to Taiwan and said it served as a deterrent against regional threats, as per a Reuters report.
Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, meanwhile, accused China of escalating tensions through “aggressive military actions and authoritarian oppression”, while insisting Taiwan remained committed to maintaining peace and stability in the region.