Trump backtracks on Taiwan independence after China visit

Donald Trump's recent statements suggest a possible shift in US policy towards Taiwan, raising questions about America's commitment to defending the island's independence after high-level talks with China.

Following his visit to China, United States President Donald Trump has suggested a potential shift in Washington, DC's approach to Taiwan, expressing reluctance to engage in military conflict over Taiwan's independence and cautioning against unilateral moves.

Speaking during an interview with Fox News following his visit, Trump explicitly cautioned Taiwan against pursuing formal independence, framing the island's defence as a staggering logistical and military challenge for the United States.

"I'm not looking to have somebody go independent and 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," Trump said.

Referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping's longstanding position on Taiwan, Trump said the issue has always been Beijing's 'most important thing' and indicated that he believed China would prefer maintaining the current arrangement rather than facing a declaration of independence from Taiwan.

"It has always been his most important thing from the day I knew him years ago. It's always been the biggest thing for him, Taiwan," the US President said.

"If you kept it the way it is, I think China is going to be okay with that. We are not looking to have somebody say let's go independent because the United States is backing us," he added.

The US President further claimed that Taiwan's current leadership was moving towards independence under the assumption that Washington would support it militarily.

"They are going independent because they want to get into a war, and they figure they have the United States behind them. I would like to see it stay the way it is," Trump stated.

His comments come amid longstanding US strategic ambiguity on Taiwan.

Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan and provides defensive support while officially adhering to the 'One China' policy, recognising the People's Republic of China diplomatically.

According to US Congressional records, the Trump Administration's 2025 National Security Strategy stated that 'deterring a conflict over Taiwan' remains a priority while reaffirming that the United States 'does not support any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait'.

China's Perspective on Taiwan

During his talks with Trump, the Chinese President stated that the Taiwan question remains the 'most important issue' in China-US relations and warned that mishandling it could lead to clashes and conflict between the two countries.

According to a statement issued by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Xi stressed during discussions with Trump that the future stability of bilateral ties depends heavily on how the Taiwan issue is managed.

'President Xi stressed to President Trump that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations. If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy,' the statement said.

China's Opposition to Taiwan Independence

Xi also reiterated Beijing's strong opposition to Taiwan independence, describing it as incompatible with peace across the Taiwan Strait.

''Taiwan independence' and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water. Safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the biggest common denominator between China and the US,' the statement added.