US President Donald Trump said tensions over Taiwan could escalate into conflict if the island formally pursues independence, following high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
In a Fox News interview with Bret Baier, Trump said China could respond “pretty harshly” to any independence move by Taiwan, adding: “With me, I don’t think they’ll do anything when I’m here. When I’m not here, I think they might to be honest with you.”
Trump also said: “Well, it’s a risky thing when you go independent,” arguing that some in Taiwan believe the United States would support them militarily in such a scenario. He added: “I’m not looking to have somebody go independent and, you know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war.”
The US President confirmed he has not yet approved a pending $14 billion Taiwan weapons package, reportedly including Patriot PAC-3 interceptors and NASAMS air defence systems. Trump described the proposal as “a very good negotiating chip for us” in discussions with China.
In response to Trump’s remarks, Taiwan reaffirmed its sovereignty, with presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo stating it was “self-evident” that Taiwan is “a sovereign, independent democratic country”.
She added that Taiwan remains committed to maintaining the current status quo across the Taiwan Strait, under which it neither declares formal independence nor moves towards unification with China, despite continued regional tensions and increased military activity by Beijing
ℹ️ FOX News
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