Chinese leader Xi Jinping began the summit in Beijing with a warning about Taiwan: the US and China could end up "on a collision course" if the issue is not handled properly, he warned.
Trump did not comment on the issue on Chinese soil, but in an interview with Fox News after the visit, Trump said he had made it clear that he opposed a declaration of independence by Taiwan. He also appeared to question why the United States would defend the island in the event of an attack.
"I don't want anyone to become independent. And, you know, we would have to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. That's not what I want," he told Fox News on Friday, continuing:
I want them to calm down. I want China to calm down.
Maintaining the situation
He stressed that the United States does not want war and said he believes China will accept the status quo.
China claims Taiwan, but in practice Taiwan has been self-governing, with its own elections and military capabilities, for decades. Beijing has repeatedly threatened to retake the island by military means, and the United States has historically said it will support Taiwan in the event of an attack.
Ahead of the summit, a spokesperson for Taiwan's parliament stated that the US "has repeatedly reaffirmed its clear and stable support for Taiwan."
Under Donald Trump, however, the stance has increasingly been subject to interpretation. In December, the president approved an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan, but the US has yet to move forward with the delivery.
“Sovereign nation”
A few hours after Trump warned about the island, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry responded in a statement that it "is a sovereign and independent democratic nation" that is not under the People's Republic of China.
Regarding the arms sales, Taiwan believes they are not only "a security commitment from the United States to Taiwan," but "also a form of joint deterrence against regional threats."
