Taiwan defies Washington and Beijing: Independence is a reality. No advertisement
Taiwan has stressed that it is an independent country, hours after US President Donald Trump warned it against formally declaring independence.
Taiwan's foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday (May 16) that Taiwan is "a sovereign and independent democratic country, not subject to the People's Republic of China," adding that "the Chinese military threat remains the main source of insecurity in the region."
Taiwan thanked Trump for his unwavering support for the security of the Taiwan Strait since his first term, noting that close cooperation between Taiwan and the United States has always been a key pillar of stability in the region.
The department stressed that the arms sale to Washington "is not only a U.S. security commitment to Taiwan that is clearly enshrined in the Taiwan Relations Act, but also a form of joint deterrence against regional threats," after Trump said he had not yet made a decision on arms sales to Taipei.
Taiwan's Foreign Ministry: US law guarantees our sale of weapons
Taiwan's Vice Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi stressed on Saturday that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan have always been a cornerstone of peace and stability in the region, something that U.S. law affirms.
He told reporters that Taiwan would continue to communicate with the U.S. side and understand its position on what is going on with regard to additional arms sales.
Beijing considers Taiwan an integral part of the Republic of China, and adherence to the "one China" principle is a prerequisite for other countries wishing to establish or maintain diplomatic relations with China, and U.S. arms sales to Taiwan have long been a major point of tension in relations between Washington and Beijing.
Trump: We do not support Taiwan independence
Taiwan's comments came a day after Trump wrapped up a visit to Beijing, where he said after meeting with President Xi Jinping, "I don't want anyone to declare independence," adding, "We don't want anyone to say, let's declare independence because the United States supports us."
In an interview with Fox News recorded before he left Beijing and broadcast on Friday, he added: "As you know, we are supposed to travel 9,500 miles to go to war, and I'm not looking for that," noting that Taiwan relies heavily on U.S. security support to deter China from carrying out its threats to annex the island by force.
Trump confirmed that after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he has not yet agreed to a $14 billion arms deal for Taiwan, saying, "I haven't approved it yet. We'll see what happens, I may do it, I may not."
Trump: I have not made commitments on Taiwan
Speaking to reporters aboard the presidential plane on his return from China, Trump said that "the Chinese president's position on Taiwan has been very strong," stressing that he "did not make any pledges in any direction during the bilateral discussions."
"The Taiwan file was one of the most prominent issues he discussed with Xi Jinping," the US president said, stressing that "the Chinese leader does not want to see any move towards the island's independence," warning that this could lead to a very severe confrontation.
Trump has declared that the United States does not want to go to war with China over Taiwan, though it is likely that Beijing will not take any steps on the island if the situation remains the same.
What is the reality of the Taiwan crisis?
The Taiwan crisis is one of the most complex geopolitical files in the world, as historical memory intersects with strategic rivalry and the race for control of advanced technology, and the island has turned into the most dangerous point of contact between China and the United States.
The roots of the crisis go back to 1949, when the Chinese Civil War ended with the victory of the Communists on the mainland and the establishment of the People's Republic of China, in exchange for the Nationalist government resorting to Taiwan and retaining the name of the Republic of China. Since then, Beijing has seen the island as an integral part of its territory and insists on "reunification," while Taiwan considers itself a de facto sovereign democracy, with a constitution, military, and elected government.
The United States adopts a policy of "strategic ambiguity" in this regard, as it diplomatically recognizes Beijing, but continues to support and arm Taiwan in accordance with the law of relations with Taiwan, in an attempt to deter China on the one hand, and prevent Taipei from declaring independence on the other, in order to avoid the explosion of a direct military confrontation.
Taiwan is the beating heart of the TSMC semiconductor industry, making its control vital to the global economy and military industries, as well as its location within the "First Island Chain" that forms the U.S. defense line in the Pacific Ocean, and China's control of it means breaking the U.S. naval enclosure, while remaining an ally of Washington limits Beijing's expansion.