Trump says how long Taiwan can feel safe from Chinese invasion
Photo: US President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump said that China would not dare to attack Taiwan while he remains in power, stressing his influence on global security.
He remarked on it in an interview ahead of his meeting with Vladimir Putin at the Alaska summit.
Donald Trump claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping had allegedly promised him not to take action against Taiwan as long as Trump remained in power.
The interview was given en route to Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where discussions focused on a possible ceasefire after more than three years of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Trump stressed that he did not believe an attack would happen while he was in office, pointing to what he described as Xi’s assurance. He used this claim to underline what he saw as his strong influence on the geopolitical situation in Asia.
US policy on Taiwan
The United States has long sought to deter Beijing from using force to unify Taiwan with China. While Washington supplies Taipei with military equipment, it follows a policy of strategic ambiguity and does not provide explicit security guarantees. The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 obliges the US to provide Taiwan with resources for self-defense and to oppose unilateral changes to its status, but it does not mandate direct US military intervention.
During his election campaign, Trump had previously suggested that Taiwan should "pay the US for defense," highlighting the financial dimension of security cooperation. Analysts note that Trump’s latest remarks are largely political and could influence international relations, but formal US security guarantees for Taiwan remain limited.
Context of China–Taiwan conflict
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and rejects the island’s government as separatist. Taiwan, on the other hand, insists it is a sovereign state with its own political system.
Beijing frequently conducts military drills near the Taiwan Strait, simulating a blockade and possible invasion scenarios. Chinese authorities have repeatedly stated that they do not rule out the use of force to achieve "reunification."
