‘You’ll Find Out’: Trump Issues Strong Warning To China Over Taiwan Invasion

United States President Donald Trump has warned of unspecified “consequences” if China invades Taiwan, stating that Beijing “understands what will happen.” Speaking in an interview with CBS, Trump said China would not attempt any military action against Taiwan while he is in office because it “knows the consequences.”

The US President’s remarks come just days after a relative thaw in US-China trade tensions, following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. The leaders discussed various issues, but Taiwan was not raised, Trump said.

When asked whether Washington would deploy US forces to defend Taiwan if China launched an invasion, Trump responded:

“You’ll find out if it happens. And he understands the answer to that.”

Pressed further, Trump declined to reveal what Xi “understands,” saying he would not disclose strategic information publicly:

“I’m not somebody that tells you everything because you’re askin’ me a question. But they understand what’s going to happen.”

Trump added that Chinese officials have “openly said” they would avoid escalating tensions while he is president because they know there would be serious consequences.

US–Taiwan policy backdrop

The United States is bound by the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which commits Washington to supplying Taiwan with defensive weapons and maintaining the capability to resist force that threatens Taiwan’s security or social and economic system.

Trump calls the US a “threat” to Beijing

In the same interview, Trump acknowledged that Washington is seen as a strategic threat by China, especially amid concerns from US intelligence agencies regarding alleged Chinese infiltration of American power systems, data theft, and cyber espionage.

“We’re a threat to them too… It’s a very competitive world,” he said.

On China’s nuclear expansion

Trump also claimed that China is rapidly growing its nuclear arsenal and suggested that the US has “enough nuclear weapons to blow up the world 150 times.” He emphasised the need for denuclearisation talks involving the US, China, and Russia.

“We should do something about denuclearisation,” Trump said, adding that Beijing could match US and Russian nuclear capabilities within five years.

Despite competitive tensions, Trump said the US and China “can be bigger, better, and stronger by working together.”

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