Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has reaffirmed that Taiwan will not provoke conflict with China but will also never surrender its sovereignty, following a high-profile meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping where Taiwan became a central topic of discussion.
According to Chinese state media, Xi warned Trump during the summit in Beijing that Taiwan remained “the most important issue” in China-US relations and cautioned that mishandling the matter could trigger conflict.
Following the meeting, Trump told Fox News that he was “not looking to have somebody go independent” regarding Taiwan, although he stressed that long-standing US policy towards the island had not changed.
The United States remains Taiwan’s strongest international ally and is legally obligated under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide the island with defensive capabilities against potential attacks.
Speaking publicly for the first time after the summit, Lai insisted there was no issue of “Taiwan independence” because Taiwan already sees itself as a sovereign nation.
“Taiwan, the Republic of China, is a sovereign and independent democratic country,” Lai wrote on Facebook, adding that the island’s future should be decided solely by the Taiwanese people.
He also stressed that Taiwan would not escalate tensions across the Taiwan Strait but would not bow to pressure from Beijing.
“Taiwan will not provoke, will not escalate conflict, but will not under pressure give up national sovereignty and dignity, as well as the democratic and free way of life,” Lai said.
The Taiwanese leader reiterated that his government remains committed to maintaining the status quo in cross-strait relations while remaining open to dialogue with China based on equality and mutual respect.
Beijing, however, continues to reject Lai’s leadership, previously labelling him a “troublemaker” and a threat to peace across the Taiwan Strait.
China has repeatedly stated that it seeks “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan but has never ruled out the use of force to bring the self-governed island under its control.
The issue has also intensified tensions between Beijing and Washington, particularly after the Trump administration approved one of the largest arms sales packages to Taiwan in recent years worth US$11 billion.
China strongly opposed the move and has since increased military pressure around Taiwan through frequent military drills and blockade simulations near the island.
Despite the growing pressure, Lai thanked Trump for continued US support and said stronger US-Taiwan security cooperation remained essential to preserving peace and stability in the region.
