US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping personally assured him that Beijing would not attempt to invade Taiwan while he remains in office.
Trump made the remarks in an interview with Fox News, ahead of his scheduled talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, reports CNN.
“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 during Fox News’ Special Report.
He added, “He told me, ‘I will never do it as long as you’re president.’ President Xi told me that, and I said, ‘Well, I appreciate that,’ but he also said, ‘But I am very patient, and China is very patient.’”
Trump and Xi held their first confirmed call of Trump’s second presidential term in June. The US president had earlier disclosed in April that Xi had also phoned him, without specifying when that earlier conversation took place.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has repeatedly vowed to bring the self-governed island under its control, by force if necessary. Taiwan firmly rejects Beijing’s claims of sovereignty.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington reiterated its position on Friday, calling Taiwan “the most important and sensitive issue” in China-US relations.
“The US government should adhere to the one-China principle and the three US-China joint communiqués, handle Taiwan-related issues prudently, and earnestly safeguard China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said in a statement.
Although Washington is Taiwan’s main international supporter and arms supplier, it does not maintain official diplomatic ties with the island, consistent with its one-China policy.
Responding to Trump’s remarks, Taiwanese legislator Wang Ting-yu of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party cautioned that the island’s security cannot depend solely on promises or foreign assistance, stressing that strengthening Taiwan’s own defense is essential.