Trump warns Taiwan against declaring independence, hours after summit with China's Xi

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has previously stated that Taiwan does not need to declare formal independence because it already sees itself as a sovereign nation.

Trump earlier said he had "made no commitment either way" about the self-governing island - which China claims as part of its territory and has not ruled out taking by force.

Washington's established position is that it does not support Taiwanese independence, with continued ties with Beijing being contingent on its acceptance that there is only one Chinese government.

Beijing has been vocal in its dislike of Taiwan's president, who it has previously described as a "troublemaker" and a "destroyer of cross-strait peace".

Many Taiwanese consider themselves to be part of a separate nation - though most are in favour of maintaining the status quo in which Taiwan neither declares independence from China nor unites with it. "You know, we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles (15,289km) to fight a war. I'm not looking for that.

I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down." Xi "feels very strongly" about the island and "doesn't want to see a movement for independence", Trump said. Asked if he foresaw a conflict with China over Taiwan, Trump had said: "No, I don't think so. I think we'll be fine. [Xi] doesn't want to see a war."

China has ramped up military drills around the island in recent years, raising tensions in the region and testing the balance that Washington has struck.

Late last year, the Trump administration announced an $11bn ($8bn) package of weapons to be sold to Taiwan , including advanced rocket launchers and a variety of missiles, which Beijing condemned. Trump said he would soon decide whether that sale could go ahead, adding that he and Xi had discussed it "in great detail".

He added: "I'm going to say I have to speak to the person that right now is, you know, you know who he is, that's running Taiwan." Taiwan Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi said on Saturday that Taiwan would need to clarify the exact meaning of Trump's remarks.

Its State Department dropped a statement from its website reiterating Washington's opposition to Taiwanese independence in February 2025 - something Beijing said "sends a wrong... signal to separatist forces".

He said Taiwan had always been a "guardian of peace and stability" in the region and accused China of escalating risk with its "aggressive military actions and authoritarian oppression".