Washington: The United States’ longstanding policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged, U.S. President Donald Trump stated shortly after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Trump emphasized that the U.S. is against Taiwan declaring independence, following his return from a two-day state visit to China.
According to Focus Taiwan, Trump reiterated during an interview with Fox News that there had been no shift in U.S. policy. He expressed reluctance to support an independent Taiwan that could potentially lead to conflict, stating, “I’m not looking to have somebody go independent and, you know, we are supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I’m not looking for that.” Trump called for both sides of the Taiwan Strait to “cool down.”
The U.S. President mentioned the possibility of a new round of weapons sales to Taiwan but did not confirm whether he would approve the package. “I haven’t approved it yet. We are gonna see what happens. I may do it, I may not do it,” Trump commented, leaving the decision open-ended.
Prior reports from U.S. media indicated a delay in the arms package, valued at approximately US$14 billion, before Trump’s visit to China, where opposition to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan is strong. In response, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) affirmed that Washington had consistently reiterated its unchanged policy toward Taiwan since Trump’s administration began.
MOFA highlighted China’s military activities around the Taiwan Strait as the main source of instability in the region and emphasized Taiwan’s commitment to maintaining the status quo and enhancing its self-defense. The ministry’s statement also described U.S. arms sales as part of Washington’s obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act, serving as a deterrent against regional threats.
Further, MOFA noted that the U.S. had approved two rounds of arms sales to Taiwan during Trump’s tenure and continued collaborating with Taiwan and regional partners to sustain peace in the Taiwan Strait. Trump, speaking earlier aboard U.S. Air Force One, divulged that he made no pledges to Xi concerning Taiwan and remained non-committal on whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan in case of a Chinese attack, stating, “There’s only one person that knows that, and it is me.”