U.S. President Donald Trump has said it is “up to” Chinese President Xi Jinping to decide how China handles Taiwan, though he cautioned that any change to the current situation would make him “very unhappy.” His remarks were published by The New York Times on Thursday, following an interview conducted a day earlier.
“He considers it to be a part of China, and that’s up to him what he’s going to be doing,” Trump said. “But I’ve expressed to him that I would be very unhappy if he did that, and I don’t think he’ll do that. I hope he doesn’t do that.”
The comments came as Trump discussed lessons Xi might draw from his recent military operation in Venezuela. He dismissed comparisons between Taiwan and Venezuela, arguing that the self-ruled island does not pose the same kind of threat to China that the government of Nicolás Maduro posed to the United States.
Trump Confident Xi Will Avoid Conflict During His Presidency
Trump reiterated his belief that Xi would not take action against Taiwan during his presidency, which ends in 2029. “He may do it after we have a different president, but I don’t think he’s going to do it with me as president,” he said.
The Trump administration outlined in a strategic paper last year that its objective is to prevent conflict with China over Taiwan and the South China Sea by strengthening U.S. and allied military power. The policy aims to deter any unilateral moves that could destabilise the region.
Beijing Reaffirms Sovereignty Claim
China maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory and has never ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. “The Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair, and how to resolve it is a matter purely within China’s sovereign rights,” said Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington.
Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s claims, asserting its democratic governance and autonomy. While the United States has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it remains the island’s key international supporter and is bound by law to provide defensive equipment.
Longstanding Tensions Remain
The Taiwan issue has long been a source of friction in U.S.-China relations. Trump, despite his firm rhetoric on China in other areas, has generally avoided stating how he would respond if tensions over the island were to escalate. His recent comments underscore his preference for maintaining stability through personal diplomacy with Xi while keeping military deterrence as a safeguard.
with inputs from Reuters
