US President Donald Trump said decisions over Taiwan ultimately lie with Chinese President Xi Jinping, while making it clear that Beijing is aware Washington would strongly oppose any military action against the island.
In an interview with the New York Times published on Thursday, Trump said Xi considers Taiwan to be part of China, but added that he has personally warned him against using force. Trump said he told the Chinese leader that he would be “very unhappy” if such a move were made and expressed confidence that Xi would not act while he remains president.
The comments come amid growing debate over whether recent US actions in other parts of the world could encourage rival powers to pursue their own territorial ambitions. Some critics have argued that Washington’s involvement in Venezuela could embolden China on Taiwan or provide justification for Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Trump dismissed those comparisons, saying the situations are fundamentally different. He described Venezuela as a direct threat to the United States, citing what he claimed were flows of criminals and drugs into the country under the previous leadership there. He argued that no such dynamics exist in the case of China and Taiwan.
When asked whether Xi might exploit the moment to apply pressure on Taiwan, including through a blockade or other coercive steps, Trump said he did not believe that would happen during his presidency. He suggested that China’s leader might act under a future US administration but reiterated his belief that Xi would hold back while he is in office.
Trump also rejected the notion that acknowledging Xi’s view of Taiwan amounted to endorsing it. He repeated that he had clearly conveyed US opposition to any use of force and stressed that he would react strongly if China attempted to change the status quo.
China claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control, while Taiwan rejects Beijing’s claims and maintains its own democratic system. The United States does not formally recognise Taiwan diplomatically but remains its most important international supporter and is legally committed to helping it maintain the ability to defend itself. The issue continues to be one of the most sensitive and contentious points in US–China relations.
