WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — In a recent interview, President Donald Trump stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping has assured him that no military actions will be taken toward the long-standing contentious issue of Taiwan while he is in office. This assertion appears to be an optimistic view amidst ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions.
During an interview segment that aired on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” Trump expressed confidence that China would refrain from any aggressive movements regarding Taiwan during his presidency, citing remarks made by Xi and his aides. “He has openly said...‘We would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” Trump shared.
Concerns amongst U.S. officials have persisted regarding the potential for China to exercise military force against Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing claims as its territory. Although the Taiwan Relations Act does not mandate military involvement from the U.S. in the event of a Chinese invasion, it underscores American policy aimed at ensuring Taiwan's ability to defend itself.
When probed about whether he would deploy U.S. forces to protect Taiwan if attacked, Trump remained non-committal, reflecting the historical U.S. policy stance of 'strategic ambiguity' aimed at neither confirming nor denying military assistance to Taiwan in such a scenario.
In response to Trump's claims, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, did not acknowledge the assurances, emphasizing that the issue of Taiwan is a core matter for China’s interests. “The Taiwan question is China’s internal affair, and only the Chinese people can decide it,” the statement highlighted.
The White House did not elaborate further on the nature of communications between Trump and Xi regarding Taiwan. Trump's interview with CBS was recorded at his Mar-a-Lago resort, marking his first participation in the program since a previous dispute with CBS News.
