Trump warned Taiwan not to declare independence hours after summit with Xi

(Patria) - Donald Trump warned Taiwan not to formally declare independence from China, the BBC reported.

"I don't want anyone to become independent," the US president told Fox News on Friday, at the end of a two-day summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Trump had previously said he had "not been briefed in any way" on the self-governing island - which China considers part of its territory and has not ruled out taking by force.

The United States has long supported Taiwan, including a legal obligation to provide it with the means for self-defense, but has often had to balance this alliance with maintaining diplomatic relations with China.

Washington's established position is that it does not support Taiwan's independence, and its continued ties with Beijing depend on its acceptance that there is only one Chinese government.

Many Taiwanese consider themselves part of a separate nation, although most support maintaining the status quo where Taiwan neither declares independence from China nor unifies with it.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump reiterated that the US policy on the issue had not changed.

"You know, we'd have to travel 9,500 miles (15,289 km) to fight a war. I'm not looking for that. I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down."

On the flight back to Washington, the US president told reporters that he and Xi had discussed the island "a lot," but said he declined to discuss whether the US would defend it.

Xi "has very strong feelings" about the island and "doesn't want to see an independence movement," Trump said.

"The Taiwan issue is the most important issue in China-US relations," Xi warned during the talks, according to Chinese state media, adding: "If handled poorly, the two nations could clash or even come into conflict."

When asked if he foresaw conflict with China over Taiwan, Trump said: "No, I don't think so. I think we'll be fine. (Xi) doesn't want to see a war."

China's plans

China has increased military exercises around the island in recent years, raising tensions in the region and testing the balance that Washington has established.

Late last year, the Trump administration announced an $11 billion arms package to be sold to Taiwan, including advanced rocket launchers and various missiles, which Beijing condemned.

Trump said he would decide soon whether that sale would continue, adding that he and Xi had discussed it "in detail" and that he would speak with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te first.

"Maybe I'll do it. Maybe I won't," he told Fox News.

"We don't want wars, and if things were to stay as they are, I think China would be okay with that. But we don't want anyone to say, 'Let's become independent because the United States supports us.'"

The United States has previously angered China by appearing to soften its stance on independence.

The US State Department posted a statement on its website reiterating Washington's opposition to Taiwan's independence in February 2025, something Beijing said "sends the wrong... signal to separatist forces."

US officials in Taiwan at the time said: "We have long stated that we oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo by any party."

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said his team had been monitoring the US-China summit and had maintained good communication with the US and other countries "to ensure the stable deepening of Taiwan-US relations and protect Taiwan's interests."

He said Taiwan had always been a "guardian of peace and stability" in the region and accused China of escalating risks with its "aggressive military actions and authoritarian oppression."