Taiwan reaffirms sovereignty after Trump warning

Taiwan’s foreign ministry said on May 16 that the island is “a sovereign and independent democratic nation” after President Donald Trump warned against any formal declaration of independence following his visit to China. The statement was Taipei’s clearest public reply to remarks Trump made after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Taiwan’s government used the response to restate a long-running position: that the Republic of China, Taiwan, is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China. Trump made the comments in a Fox News interview published on May 16, according to White House and media reports surfaced after his China trip. France 24, citing the interview, reported Trump said he was not looking to have Taiwan “go independent” and said U.S. policy had not changed. Taiwan’s foreign ministry answered a day after the Trump-Xi summit by saying Beijing had no right to claim jurisdiction over Taiwan. ### What exactly did Taipei say? (en.mofa.gov.tw) Taiwan’s foreign ministry said on May 16 that “Taiwan is a sovereign and independent democratic nation, and is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China.” The ministry also said Taiwan’s sovereignty belongs to its people and only they can decide the island’s future. Those phrases track language Taipei has used repeatedly in recent months when rebutting Chinese claims over the island. (whitehouse.gov) A May 14 ministry statement, issued after Chinese state media reported Xi’s comments on Taiwan during the Trump-Xi meeting, said “the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other.” The same statement accused China of continuing military threats in the East China Sea, South China Sea, Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan while the U.S. and Chinese leaders were meeting. (france24.com) ### What did Trump say after meeting Xi Jinping? Trump said on May 16 that he opposed a formal declaration of independence by Taiwan, according to reports that cited his Fox News interview after the Beijing trip. France 24 reported Trump said U.S. policy toward Taiwan remained unchanged while also warning against a formal independence move. The White House video library shows a posting for a “wide ranging interview” with Trump dated May 16. (mofa.gov.tw) Xi raised Taiwan directly during the summit, according to Taiwan’s May 14 foreign ministry response to Chinese media reports. Taipei said China had no authority to speak for Taiwan internationally and rejected any suggestion that Taiwan’s future could be discussed without the consent of its people. ### Why did Taipei bring up U.S. arms sales? Taiwan’s foreign ministry said U.S. arms sales are part of Washington’s security commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act. (france24.com) Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi repeated that point to reporters in Taipei on May 16, saying such sales have long been a cornerstone of regional peace and stability. (mofa.gov.tw) The ministry’s emphasis reflected concern over Trump’s remarks about whether the United States should defend Taiwan. France 24 reported that Trump appeared to question why Washington would send military support in the event of an attack, and Taipei answered by tying arms sales to existing U.S. commitments rather than to any new policy shift. (france24.com) ### How does China fit into this exchange? China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has long opposed any move toward formal independence by the self-ruled island. Taiwan’s May 14 statement said the People’s Liberation Army continued to send aircraft and ships around Taiwan during the U.S.-China leaders’ meeting. Taipei called China “the only risk” to regional peace and stability in that statement. Beijing’s position has shaped the language used by both Washington and Taipei. (france24.com) Trump’s warning came after Xi pressed him on Taiwan during the Beijing meetings, according to reports on the summit and Taiwan’s own response. Taipei, for its part, answered by restating sovereignty while also saying it would continue working with the United States and “like-minded countries” to maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific. (mofa.gov.tw) ### What should readers watch next? May 16 is the key date for the latest exchange: Trump’s Fox News interview was posted that day, and Taiwan’s foreign ministry published its formal response the same day on its English-language site. Any next step is likely to appear first through White House readouts, Taiwan foreign ministry statements, or announcements tied to U.S. arms sales that Taipei has said remain under discussion. (whitehouse.gov) (france24.com)