President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping assured him that China would not invade Taiwan while Trump remains in office. He made the remarks during an interview with Fox News’ Special Report on Friday, ahead of his planned meeting in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
“I will tell you, you know, you have a very similar thing with President Xi of China and Taiwan, but I don’t believe there’s any way it’s going to happen as long as I’m here. We’ll see,” Trump said.
What Xi Jinping Said To Donald Trump About Taiwan
Trump claimed Xi told him, “I will never do it as long as you’re president.” Trump added, “Well, I appreciate that, but he also said, ‘But I am very patient, and China is very patient.’”
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The president did not specify when Xi made these comments. Both leaders, however, held their first confirmed telephone conversation in June during Trump’s second term. Earlier in April, Trump also said he received a call from Xi, though he did not reveal the timing of that conversation.
What Are The Chinese Claims On Taiwan
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has repeatedly vowed to “reunify” with the democratic island, by force if necessary. Taiwan, in contrast, strongly rejects Beijing’s claims of sovereignty.
Commenting on the issue on Friday, the Chinese Embassy in Washington described Taiwan as “the most important and sensitive issue” in China-U.S. relations.
The United States remains Taiwan’s main arms supplier and international backer, although, like most countries, it maintains no formal diplomatic relations with the island.
An embassy spokesperson, Liu Pengyu, said, “the U.S. government should adhere to the one-China principle and the three U.S.-China joint communiqués, handle Taiwan-related issues prudently, and earnestly safeguard China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
