After meeting Xi Jinping in Beijing, Trump warns Taiwan against declaring ‘independence’ from China

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2 min readMay 16, 2026 12:30 PM IST

United States President Donald Trump has cautioned Taiwan against declaring independence from China, BBC reported. In an interview with Fox News, Trump reiterated Washington’s firm position against Taiwanese independence, saying “I’m not looking to have somebody go independent.”

Trump’s warning comes at the end of his two-day visit to China to attend a summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing.

The US has managed to continue its ties with Beijing while adhering to its acceptance that there is only one Chinese government. Taiwan continues to be a key issue in US-China relations, with Washington maintaining support for the island.

Earlier, Trump said he had “made no commitment either way” about the island, which China claims as part of its territory.

“You know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles (15,289km) to fight a war. I’m not looking for that. I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down,” the US president told Fox News, hours after the summit ended on Friday.

Trump further said, “We’re not looking to have wars, and if you kept it the way it is, I think China’s going to be OK with that. But we’re not looking to have somebody say, ‘Let’s go independent because the United States is backing us.’”

Trump also asserted that Chinese president Xi “feels very strongly” about the island and “doesn’t want to see a movement for independence”.

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US-Taiwan relations

The relations between US and Taiwan have progressed unofficially so far, with the Trump administration announcing in 2025 an $11bn package of weapons to be sold to Taiwan.

The move was condemned by Beijing, which considers Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te as a separatist, BBC report stated.

During the summit this week, Trump asserted he would soon decide whether the sale would continue, even as he had discussed it with Xi “in great detail,” according to BBC.

In response to Trump’s statement to Fox News, Taiwan Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi Saturday said that Taiwan would need to clarify the exact meaning of Trump’s remarks.

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“Taiwan-US arms sales have always been a cornerstone of regional peace and stability,” Chen was quoted as saying by BBC.

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