Taiwan insists it is independent after Trump's warning

Trump's comments came after a two-day summit in Beijing, after which he said that"had not made any commitments in any way"regarding the island of self-government - which China claims as part of its territory and has not ruled out taking by force, reports BBC, broadcast Periscope.

After talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump also said he would soon decide whether to approve an $11 billion arms package that would be sold to Taiwan.

The US administration is obliged by law to offer Taiwan a means of self-defence, but it has often had to adapt this alliance to maintaining a diplomatic relationship with China.

Taiwanese President Lai Chinng has earlier declared that Taiwan does not need to declare official independence because he already sees himself as a sovereign nation.

On Saturday, Presidential spokeswoman Karen Kuo said it was"self-intelligible"that Taiwan was"a sovereign and independent democratic state".

However, she added, Taiwan was committed to maintaining the quo status with China - in which Taiwan neither declares independence from China nor joins.

Many Taiwanese consider themselves part of a particular nation, though most are in favour of preserving their current status. /Periscope/