Trump: Venezuela does not set a precedent for China regarding Taiwan

(Patria) - US President Donald Trump stated that it is up to Chinese President Xi Jinping what China will do regarding Taiwan, but that he would be "very unhappy" with a change in the status quo, according to an interview published by the New York Times on Thursday, Reuters reported.

"He (Xi) considers Taiwan to be part of China and it is up to him what he will do," Trump said.

"But I told him that I would be very unhappy if he did that and I don't think he will. I hope he won't do that."

Trump made the comments in the context of an exchange about what lessons Xi might draw from Trump's bold military operation in Venezuela.

He said he does not consider the situations analogous because Taiwan does not pose the same kind of threat to China as, he said, the government of Nicolas Maduro posed to the United States.

He also reiterated his belief that Xi will not do anything against Taiwan during his presidential term, which ends in 2029.

"Maybe he will do it after we have another president, but I don't think he will do it while I am president," Trump said.

Trump's administration stated last year in a strategic document that it aims to prevent conflict with China over Taiwan and the South China Sea by strengthening the military power of the US and its allies.

China considers democratic Taiwan its own, and Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.

"The Taiwan issue is exclusively China's internal affair, and how to resolve it is a matter exclusively within China's sovereign rights," said Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington.

The United States does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but Washington is the island's most important international supporter and is legally obliged to provide Taiwan with the means of defense. This issue has been a source of irritation in US-China relations for years.

Trump has largely avoided directly stating how he would respond to rising tensions around the island.