“He told me, ‘I will never do it as long as you’re president,’” Trump said. “I appreciated that, but he also said, ‘I am very patient, and China is very patient.’”
U.S. President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping personally assured him that Beijing would not attempt to invade Taiwan while he remains in office.
Speaking on Fox News ahead of his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump recounted a recent conversation with Xi. “He told me, ‘I will never do it as long as you’re president,’” Trump said. “I appreciated that, but he also said, ‘I am very patient, and China is very patient.’”
The two leaders held their first confirmed call of Trump’s second term in June, though Trump has previously hinted at other exchanges. His comments come amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
China regards Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed eventual reunification, by force if necessary. Taiwan strongly rejects those sovereignty claims and insists on maintaining its democratic governance.
Responding Friday, the Chinese Embassy in Washington described Taiwan as “the most important and sensitive issue” in U.S.-China relations. Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu urged Washington to uphold the one-China principle and “handle Taiwan-related issues prudently” to safeguard peace across the strait.
Although the U.S. remains Taiwan’s main arms supplier, it does not maintain formal diplomatic ties with the island.