President Donald Trump has urged both China and Taiwan to de-escalate tensions, stating they “ought to both cool it.” Following his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump revealed he declined to answer Xi directly on whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan if attacked, saying he “doesn’t talk about that.” Xi had previously warned of potential “clashes and even conflicts” over Taiwan’s status.
Trump emphasized that U.S. policy remains unchanged but expressed a desire to avoid distant wars, advising both sides to moderate their positions. The comments come amid ongoing concerns about China’s military intentions towards Taiwan, particularly in light of recent geopolitical shifts.
Trump Urges China and Taiwan to 'Cool It' Amid Rising Tensions
President Donald Trump has called for both China and Taiwan to de-escalate tensions following his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Trump stated that he refused to directly answer Xi Jinping when asked if the United States would defend Taiwan if it were attacked by China, telling reporters aboard Air Force One, "I don't talk about that."
Trump told Xi 'I don’t talk about' whether U.S. would defend Taiwan from China. (Credit: CNBC)
During their two-day summit, Xi Jinping warned Trump that the U.S. and China "will have clashes and even conflicts" if the long-standing issue of Taiwan's independence is mishandled. Trump, in an interview with Fox News, emphasized that U.S. policy on Taiwan remains unchanged, but expressed reluctance to be drawn into a distant conflict.
President Trump on Taiwan: "I'm not looking to have somebody go independent, and you know, we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war... I want them to cool down, I want China to cool down." He added, "Taiwan would be very smart to cool it a little bit. China would be very smart to cool it a little bit. They ought to both cool it."
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Trump articulated his stance by saying, "I'm not looking to have somebody go independent, and you know, we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I'm not looking for that. I want them to cool down, I want China to cool down." He further advised, "Taiwan would be very smart to cool it a little bit. China would be very smart to cool it a little bit. They ought to both cool it."
The U.S. policy of "strategic ambiguity" regarding Taiwan's defense has come under scrutiny, particularly since the commencement of the U.S. war against Iran. Analysts have raised concerns that China might be emboldened to act against Taiwan due to the redeployment of U.S. Navy carriers and depletion of munitions. Seth G. Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted potential deficiencies in the U.S. defense industrial base that could be tested by China.
When questioned about a potential arms sale to Taiwan, Trump gave a non-committal response, stating, "I may do it, I may not do it." He reiterated that the "last thing we need right now is a war that's 9,500 miles away."
Chinese state media, which had been positive about Trump's interactions with Xi, notably omitted any mention of the discussions concerning Taiwan, suggesting potential dissatisfaction with the outcomes. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed to NBC News that while the issue was raised, U.S. policy remains unchanged.
The issue of Taiwan was a significant point of discussion during the summit. Xi Jinping had issued a strong warning to Trump, asserting that mishandling Taiwan's independence could lead to "clashes and even conflicts" and jeopardize the entire U.S.-China relationship. Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported Xi calling the "Taiwan question" the "most important issue in China-U.S. relations."
Experts like Bonnie Glaser of the German Marshall Fund suggest that China faces significant risks and prohibitive costs even in the event of a successful military takeover of Taiwan, including threats to the Chinese Communist Party's legitimacy. Purges within the People's Liberation Army (PLA) also indicate Xi may not be prepared for immediate military action.
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