The Chinese leader asked Donald Trump if he would defend Taiwan in case of war. The US president himself acknowledged this, aboard Air Force One, on his way home.
“I told him I won’t talk about this,” Trump revealed to the press.
President Donald Trump stated on Friday that he discussed with Chinese leader Xi Jinping about US arms sales to Taiwan during discussions in Beijing, according to hotnews.ro. The American official affirmed that he will soon make a decision on this matter, noting that it is a sensitive point in the relations between the US and China.
Trump acknowledged to the press that he and Xi had much discussion about Taiwan, but added that he doesn’t believe there is a conflict on this issue. The White House leader also said that he made no commitment to Xi regarding Taiwan.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has long opposed US arms sales to the island, which Beijing considers an interference in its internal affairs.
The United States, despite the lack of official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, remains Taiwan’s most important international supporter and the largest supplier of weapons. In the context of the Xi – Trump meeting, the status of a support package worth 14 billion dollars, awaiting the approval of the American president, remains uncertain.
On the other hand, Xi told Trump that disagreements over Taiwan could lead relations down a dangerous path and could even spark a conflict.