Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Trump says China assured him it won’t act against Taiwan


(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump stated that Chinese officials assured him Beijing would refrain from taking any action against Taiwan during his presidency, saying they “know the consequences.”

“He (Chinese President Xi Jinping) has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, we would never do anything while President Trump is president, because they know the consequences,” Trump said during a televised interview aired Sunday.

When asked if he would deploy US forces to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack, Trump declined to give a direct answer, saying, “You'll find out if it happens. And he understands the answer to that.”

Trump mentioned that Taiwan was not discussed during his meeting with Xi in South Korea on Thursday as part of his Asia tour, adding that observers were “a little surprised” the topic never came up.

“He never brought it up, because he understands it, and he understands it very well,” Trump said. Pressed for clarification on what Xi understood, Trump responded, “The other side knows, but I'm not somebody that tells you everything.”

Taiwan remains a major point of tension in relations between Washington and Beijing. China considers the island part of its territory, while Taiwan has maintained self-governance and asserted independence since 1949. The United States, meanwhile, continues to back Taiwan’s defense commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances that define its policy toward the island.

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