US President Donald Trump has warned Taiwan against pursuing independence, questioning whether the US should risk a military conflict thousands of miles away to defend the self-governing island.
The remarks, made during a Fox News interview immediately after Trump’s two-day summit in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping, marked a sharp rhetorical shift from Washington’s traditional policy of strategic ambiguity toward Taiwan.
“I’m not looking to have somebody go independent,” Trump said, cautioning Taipei against assuming guaranteed US backing.
“We’re not looking to have somebody say, ‘Let’s go independent because the US is backing us,’” he added.
Trump also questioned the practical case for US military intervention, pointing to Taiwan’s distance from the US.
“We’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I’m not looking for that,” Trump said, urging both sides to “cool down” and preserve the status quo. “If we keep things the way they are, China’s going to be OK with that.”
Pressure from Beijing
Trump’s comments came after direct pressure from Xi during bilateral talks in Beijing. Chinese state media said Xi told Trump that Taiwan remains the “most important issue” in China-US relations.
Beijing claims Taiwan as part of China and has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says only its people can decide their future.
Xi reportedly warned that missteps over Taiwan could push the world’s two largest economic and military powers toward a direct confrontation.
Arms package in doubt
The summit also cast uncertainty over a major pending US weapons package for Taiwan.
Before Trump’s visit to Beijing, his administration had authorized a defensive arms package reportedly valued between $11 billion and $14 billion. But after talks with Xi, Trump said the deal remained under review.
He said he had made “no commitment either way” on whether the transfer would proceed, adding that he would make a final decision after consulting Taiwan’s leadership.
Taipei responds
Taiwanese officials sought to project calm following Trump’s remarks while defending the island’s security posture.
Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said Taipei had closely monitored the Beijing summit and rejected suggestions that Taiwan was provoking tensions. He described Taiwan as a “guardian of peace and stability” and pointed to China’s military pressure as the main source of regional risk.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry also thanked Washington for its continued attention to cross-strait peace. Officials cited reassurances from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said America’s basic policy toward Taiwan remained unchanged.
Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the US is required to provide Taiwan with the means to maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities, though Washington has never formally committed to defending the island militarily.