Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te delivered his first direct response to the Trump-Xi summit, stating the island will neither provoke conflict nor surrender its sovereignty. The statement comes after President Trump warned Taiwan against declaring independence following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In a Facebook post, Lai declared, "Taiwan, the Republic of China, is a sovereign and independent democratic country." He stressed that Taiwan will not escalate conflict but will not under pressure give up national sovereignty and dignity. Lai also emphasized the necessity of continued US arms sales for maintaining regional peace and stability.
Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own, has called Lai a "troublemaker." The Trump administration recently approved $11 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, one of the largest ever, drawing ire from China.