US-China Relations

Taiwan hits back at Trump: “We are independent”

It “goes without saying” that Taiwan is an “independent, independent democratic country,” said President Lai Ching-Te’s spokeswoman Karen Kuo on Saturday, according to the BBC.

However, she added that Taiwan wants to maintain its current status, where it neither declares independence nor unites with China. This is supported by the majority of the island’s population.

The statement is a response to Donald Trump’s words after this week’s visit to Beijing.

– I don’t want anyone to declare independence. We would have to travel 1,500 miles to fight a war. I don’t want that, he told Fox News.

The US has long said that it will support Taiwan in the event of a possible Chinese attack, but under Trump it has become more uncertain. He approved eleven billion dollars worth of weapons for the island in December, but is now keeping it “on hold” because he sees it as “a good bargaining chip.”

After the China Summit: Trump Warns Taiwan About Independence

Donald Trump is warning Taiwan against declaring independence, he says in an interview with Fox News. The statement comes after the US president recently visited Chinese President Xi Jinping.

– I'm not looking for anyone to become independent. And, you know, we would have to travel 15,000 kilometers to fight a war. I don't want that to happen, he says.

Xi has previously warned the US against "misbehaving" on the issue of Taiwan, and that it would lead to a "very dangerous situation". This is because the US has previously shown its support for Taiwan and that it would provide military support in the event of a possible attack, writes TT.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry has responded that it is a "sovereign and independent democratic nation" after Trump's statement.