Trump warns Taiwan not to declare independence

“I am not asking for someone to become independent”, US President for Fox News said Friday, at the end of his two-day summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Previously, Trumpi said that “had not taken any commitments in any way” regarding the island of self-government that China claims as part of its territory and has not ruled out force taking, reports the BBC.

The United States has long supported Taiwan, including its legal obligation to provide it with a self-defence, but has often had to adapt this alliance to maintaining a diplomatic relationship with China.

Washington's staunch stance is that it does not support Taiwan's independence, with continued ties to Beijing depending on its admission that there is only one Chinese government.

Many Taiwanese consider themselves part of a particular nation, although most are in favour of preserving the status quo in which Taiwan neither declares independence from China nor joins it.

In his interview with Fox News, Trump reiterated that US policy on the issue had not changed.

You know, we have to travel 9,500 miles (15,289 km) to fight a war. I'm not looking for this. I want them to calm down. I want China to calm down. ”

On the return flight to Washington, the US president had told reporters that he and Xi had spoken very much “about the island, but said he had refused to discuss whether the US would protect it.