US President Donald Trump has warned Taiwan against formally declaring independence from China. Speaking to Fox News on Friday after concluding a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Trump stated, “I do not want to see anyone declare independence.” Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te had previously asserted that Taiwan considers itself an independent nation and therefore a formal declaration of independence is unnecessary.
The United States has long supported Taiwan, including providing assistance for its self-defense, which carries legal obligations. At the same time, Washington generally maintains diplomatic relations with China, striving to balance this delicate partnership. While US policy remains consistent, Trump emphasized that he has “not made any commitments” over the self-governing island. China claims Taiwan as its province and has not ruled out the use of force if necessary to assert control.
Washington’s stance is that it does not support Taiwan’s independence and recognizes the Chinese government as the sole legitimate government. Beijing has openly criticized Taiwan’s leadership, previously publicly describing Taiwan’s president in disparaging terms. Many residents of Taiwan view themselves as part of a separate nation. The majority of the population supports maintaining the status quo, which involves neither declaring independence nor unifying with China.
In his interview with Fox News, Trump reiterated that the US policy toward Taiwan has not changed. “You know, we’d have to cross 9,500 miles (15,289 kilometers) to go to war. I don’t want that. I want them to be peaceful. I want China to be peaceful,” Trump said. He disclosed that he discussed the issue of the island extensively with Xi Jinping but indicated that the US has not made any formal decision about defending Taiwan. According to President Trump, Xi is “very firm” on the issue and “does not want to see any movement toward independence.”
