Taiwan has thanked the United States for reaffirming its commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and stressing that Washington’s policy towards the island remains unchanged, following talks between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping during Trump’s state visit to China.
The United States remains Taiwan’s most important international supporter and is legally required to provide the self-ruled island with means to defend itself, despite repeated objections from China over arms sales to Taipei.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Thursday that the Taiwan issue was discussed during the Trump-Xi meeting, but stressed that Washington’s long-standing policy towards Taiwan had not changed.
In a statement released by Taiwan’s foreign ministry, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung expressed appreciation to the US for consistently emphasising the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
The ministry also accused China of continuing military “harassment and intimidation” activities around Taiwan, saying such actions pose a major threat to regional stability.
Meanwhile, Xi reportedly warned Trump that mishandling disagreements over Taiwan could push China-US relations into a “dangerous place”.
Rubio later told NBC that it would be a “terrible mistake” for China to use force against Taiwan.
Taiwan National Security Council secretary-general Joseph Wu echoed Rubio’s remarks on social media, saying Taiwan remained determined to defend the status quo and deter aggression.
Despite the heightened rhetoric, China’s military presence around Taiwan has continued. Taiwan’s defence ministry said seven Chinese warships were detected near the island over the past 24 hours, although no military aircraft were reported.
A senior Taiwanese security official said Taiwan shared common interests with the US and its Indo-Pacific partners, describing the island as central to stability within the “first island chain” stretching from Japan to the Philippines.
Taipei is also closely monitoring whether Beijing will increase military activity ahead of the second anniversary of President Lai Ching-te taking office next Wednesday, particularly following the Trump-Xi summit.
China’s defence ministry has yet to issue an official response regarding the latest developments.
