President Donald Trump, during a state visit to Beijing, warned Taiwan against formally declaring independence from China, prompting a swift response from the island's foreign ministry.
Trump stated he is against Taiwan's independence and questioned the rationale for U.S. military support in the event of a Chinese invasion. "I'm not looking to have somebody go independent and, you know, we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war," he told Fox News, adding, "I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down."
Taiwan's foreign ministry thanked Trump for his support in regional peace efforts but reaffirmed the island is a "sovereign democratic country." The ministry declared, "Beijing has no right to claim jurisdiction over Taiwan," and pledged to deepen cooperation with the United States to maintain peace through strength.
A spokesperson for Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated that Taiwan is the "most important issue in China-U.S. relations," as Beijing continues to view the democratically governed island as a breakaway province.