Trump says US won't travel "9500 miles" to fight Taiwan's war for independence
Beijing, May 16
US President Donald Trump has signalled a potential shift in Washington's approach towards Taiwan following his two-day "high-stakes" visit to China, stating that the United States is not looking to "travel 9,500 miles to fight a war" over Taiwan's independence, raising questions about the future of America's long-standing policy of strategic ambiguity.
Speaking during an interview with Fox News following his visit, Trump explicitly cautioned Taiwan against pursuing formal independence, framing the island's defence as a staggering logistical and military challenge for the United States.
"I'm not looking to have somebody go independent and we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I'm not looking for that. I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down", Trump said.
Referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping's longstanding position on Taiwan, Trump said the issue has always been Beijing's "most important thing" and indicated that he believed China would prefer maintaining the current arrangement rather than facing a declaration of independence from Taiwan.
"It has always been his most important thing from the day I knew him years ago. It's always been the biggest thing for him, Taiwan," the US President said.
"If you kept it the way it is, I think China is going to be okay with that. We are not looking to have somebody say let's go independent because the United States is backing us," he added.
The US President further claimed that Taiwan's current leadership was moving towards independence under the assumption that Washington would support it militarily.
"They are going independent because they want to get into a war, and they figure they have the United States behind them. I would like to see it stay the way it is," Trump stated.
His comments come amid longstanding US strategic ambiguity on Taiwan. Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan and provides defensive support while officially adhering to the "One China" policy, recognising the People's Republic of China diplomatically.
According to US Congressional records, the Trump Administration's 2025 National Security Strategy stated that "deterring a conflict over Taiwan" remains a priority while reaffirming that the United States "does not support any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait."
During his talks with Trump, the Chinese President stated that the Taiwan question remains the "most important issue" in China-US relations and warned that mishandling it could lead to clashes and conflict between the two countries.
According to a statement issued by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Xi stressed during discussions with Trump that the future stability of bilateral ties depends heavily on how the Taiwan issue is managed.
"President Xi stressed to President Trump that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations. If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy," the statement said.
Xi also reiterated Beijing's strong opposition to Taiwan independence, describing it as incompatible with peace across the Taiwan Strait.
"'Taiwan independence' and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water. Safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the biggest common denominator between China and the U.S.," the statement added.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is a welcome shift in tone from Washington. For too long, American politicians have been playing with fire in the Taiwan Strait. Xi Jinping has been clear - this is China's core interest. As an Indian, I hope our leadership also takes a similar pragmatic approach with our neighbors. Peace over war always.
As a Westerner, I'm surprised by Trump's bluntness. But honestly, he's just stating the obvious - the US doesn't have the appetite for another major war, especially one 9500 miles away. Taiwan needs to accept reality: independence talk is just a dangerous fantasy without American boots on the ground.
Good to see diplomatic pragmatism. But I hope this doesn't mean the US is going to abandon its allies in the region entirely. There has to be a balance. Also, shouldn't we be more concerned about China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea? Just saying...
Trump says one thing, but American policy has always been strategic ambiguity. Let's see what actually happens when push comes to shove. For now, Taiwan should focus on economic cooperation with China rather than pointless independence posturing. 🤷♀️
From an Australian perspective, this is concerning. If the US is signaling withdrawal from its security commitments in the Pacific, countries like Japan, South Korea, and even Australia need to rethink their own defense strategies. Not a fan of Trump's transactional approach to international relations.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.