Trump Urges Taiwan to Stay Cool on Independence After Beijing Summit.

In a fresh twist in the long running Taiwan China drama, US President Donald Trump has warned Taiwan against making any formal declaration of independence following his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Speaking after the Beijing summit, Trump said he made “no commitment either way” on the island’s future. He stressed that he’s not interested in seeing Taiwan push for independence or getting the US dragged into a faraway conflict. “We’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war? I’m not looking for that,” he told reporters. He added that both sides need to “cool down.”

Taiwan, which China claims as its territory and has never ruled out taking by force, pushed back firmly.

Presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo stated it’s “self evident” that Taiwan is already “a sovereign, independent democratic country.” However, she made it clear that Taiwan remains committed to maintaining the current status quo neither formally declaring independence nor unifying with China.

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has previously said the island doesn’t need to declare independence because it already considers itself a fully sovereign nation. Most Taiwanese people feel they are distinct from China but prefer keeping things as they are rather than rocking the boat.

Trump also revealed he’ll soon decide on an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan. The US is legally required to help Taiwan defend itself, but it has to carefully balance that support with its relationship with Beijing. The US officially follows a “One China” policy and does not support formal Taiwanese independence.

Despite the tensions, Taiwan’s government expressed gratitude for Trump’s continued support on security in the Taiwan Strait. They said they’ll keep working closely with the US to maintain peace and stability through strength.

The situation remains delicate, with China intensifying military drills around Taiwan in recent years and strongly opposing President Lai, whom it has called a “troublemaker.”