Washington avoids war pledge while Beijing presses sovereignty claims and warns against dangerous separatist escalation.
US President Donald Trump has warned Taiwan against formally declaring independence from China, signaling that Washington wants to avoid a dangerous confrontation with Beijing over the self-governing island.
Speaking to Fox News after his two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Trump said he was “not looking to have somebody go independent.” He added that US policy on Taiwan has not changed and stressed that he wants both sides to “cool down.”
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has previously argued that Taiwan does not need a formal declaration of independence because it already considers itself a sovereign nation. China, however, claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly warned against any move toward official separation.
The United States has long supported Taiwan’s self-defense while also maintaining diplomatic relations with Beijing under the framework that recognizes only one Chinese government. This delicate balance has often forced Washington to manage security commitments to Taiwan without openly endorsing independence.
Trump said he and Xi spoke “a lot” about Taiwan during their talks, but he declined to say whether the United States would defend the island in the event of a conflict. He said Xi feels strongly about the issue and does not want to see any movement toward independence.
Chinese state media reported that Xi described Taiwan as the most important issue in China-US relations and warned that mishandling it could lead to confrontation or even conflict. Trump, however, said he does not expect war, adding that Xi does not want a military clash.
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi later announced that Xi will visit the United States later this year at Trump’s invitation. The planned autumn state visit is expected to continue high-level efforts to stabilize relations between the two powers while Taiwan remains the central strategic dispute.
