President Donald Trump said he has made no commitment on Taiwan one way or the other after two days of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Trump told reporters on the flight back to Washington the pair had talked extensively about the self-governing island, which China claims as its own and has threatened to take by force. Xi directly asked whether the US would defend Taiwan. Trump told him: "I don't talk about that."
The US president said he would make a decision in short order on previously announced arms sales to Taiwan-a sale Beijing has condemned. Trump also said he would consult Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te first.
Xi warned mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead to conflict between the two nations. Trump said he does not foresee war, adding Xi does not want to see an independence movement because that would bring a strong confrontation.
Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said his team had kept close contact with the US to safeguard Taiwan's interests and accused China of escalating regional risks with aggressive military actions.