Trump Urges Restraint on Taiwan After High-Stakes Beijing Summit with Xi

Fresh from two days of talks in Beijing, President Donald Trump has issued a clear warning to Taiwan: don’t push for formal independence.

Speaking to Fox News on Friday, Trump said, “I’m not looking to have somebody go independent,” emphasising that he wants both Taipei and Beijing to “cool down” and avoid any move that could drag the United States into conflict.

The comments come just hours after his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which Taiwan dominated discussions. Trump revealed he and Xi had spoken “a lot” about the island, but he stopped short of committing to its defence. He described Xi as feeling “very strongly” about preventing any independence movement.

Trump reiterated that longstanding US policy remains unchanged: Washington does not support Taiwanese independence. While the US is legally bound to help Taiwan maintain its self-defence capabilities, it continues to adhere to the “One China” framework in its dealings with Beijing.

Xi reportedly told Trump that the Taiwan issue is “the most important issue in China-US relations,” warning that mishandling it could lead to direct collision or even conflict between the two superpowers. Trump, however, sounded optimistic, saying he does not foresee war and believes “we’ll be fine” because Xi “doesn’t want to see a war.”

The US president also confirmed he is reviewing a major $11 billion arms package for Taiwan — announced late last year and strongly criticised by Beijing — and will decide its fate after further consultations.

Taiwan’s position is delicate. President Lai Ching-te has insisted Taiwan is already sovereign and does not need a formal declaration of independence. Most Taiwanese favour maintaining the current ambiguous status quo rather than risking provocation. Beijing, meanwhile, views Lai as a “troublemaker” and has intensified military drills around the island in recent years.

Trump made it clear he is not interested in America fighting a war 9,500 miles away. “We’re not looking to have wars,” he said. “If you kept it the way it is, I think China’s going to be OK with that.”

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said his government is closely monitoring developments from the summit and remains in close contact with the US. He reiterated Taiwan’s commitment to regional peace while accusing China of raising tensions through aggressive military posturing.