Trump warns Taiwan against declaring independence after Xi summit
Donald Trump told Taiwan it should not declare independence in the hours after his Beijing summit with Xi Jinping. The US president said Beijing and Taipei must 'cool down' tensions, while keeping arms sales and diplomatic representation in play.
Wrapping up his Beijing visit, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that Taiwan 'should not declare independence'. He added that Beijing and Taipei must 'cool down', taking a direct position; White House officials stressed the remark does not mark a break from Washington's decades-old policy of 'strategic ambiguity'.
Taiwan's foreign ministry said in writing that 'the will of the Taiwanese people is determined through democratic processes'. Lawmakers aligned with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party read Trump's wording as overlapping with Beijing's stance; the main opposition KMT was more cautious.
The issue will shape upcoming Congressional debate on US arms sales. Lockheed Martin's F-16V package and an extension to the submarine programme are already on the table. Investors are watching defence and semiconductor stocks on the Taipei exchange for volatility linked to the comments.
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