Trump Reveals Xi’s Assurance: No Chinese Invasion of Taiwan During His Presidency
In an interview with Fox News on Friday, President Donald Trump disclosed that Chinese President Xi Jinping had informed him China would not invade Taiwan during Trump’s term in office.
The discussion took place before Trump was set to engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Trump stated during the Fox News interview for “Special Report,” “I can tell you, there is a similar situation with President Xi of China and Taiwan, but I don’t foresee any such event occurring as long as I am in office. We shall see.”
Expounding further, Trump said, “President Xi shared this assurance with me, expressing that he would not take such an action while I am president. He also added that China is patient and will remain so.”
The first confirmed call between Trump and Xi during Trump’s second term took place in June. Earlier in April, Trump had mentioned a conversation with Xi but did not disclose the exact date of the call.
China perceives Taiwan as its own territory and has declared its intent to “reunify” with the democratic and autonomous island, using force if necessary. Taiwan vehemently opposes China’s sovereignty claims.
Regarding this matter, the Chinese Embassy in Washington described it as the “most important and sensitive issue” in China-US relations. In a statement, embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu urged the US to uphold the one-China principle and the three US-China joint communiqués, handle Taiwan-related issues with caution, and work towards maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Despite being Taiwan’s primary arms supplier and international supporter, the US, like most countries, does not maintain formal diplomatic ties with the island.
As of Saturday, Taiwan’s government has yet to respond to Trump’s statements. However, a senior lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party expressed gratitude for support from “our major ally.” Nonetheless, Wang Ting-yu, a member of the Taiwan parliament’s defense and foreign affairs committee, emphasized on his Facebook page that security cannot solely depend on promises from adversaries or aid from allies. Instead, strengthening Taiwan’s own defense capabilities is paramount.