Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said on Saturday it had detected eight Chinese naval ships and one official ship operating around the island, a day after US President Donald Trump concluded a high-level visit to China that was dominated by discussions about Taiwan, trade and the Iran war.In a statement published onThe ministry added that no Chinese military aircraft were spotted around Taiwan during this period. A day earlier, Taiwan reported the presence of seven Chinese naval ships and one official ship near its territorial waters.
Trump-Xi talks put Taiwan back in the spotlight
The latest military activity came shortly after Trump returned from Beijing after meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as Taiwan remained one of the most sensitive issues on the agenda.Trump described the summit as a meeting between “two great nations” and said he believed China was unlikely to take aggressive action against Taiwan while he remained in office.“I don’t think they’ll do anything when I’m here. When I’m not here.
“I think they might do it, to be honest with you,” Trump told Fox News after the summit.Trump also said China does not want Taiwan to formally declare its independence. “It’s not a takeover. They don’t want to see this place — we’ll call it a place because no one knows how to define it — but they don’t want to see it standalone,” he said.
According to the Associated Press news agency, Xi specifically warned Trump during the talks that disagreements over Taiwan could lead to confrontation or conflict between the United States and China.
Questions about American support for Taiwan
Trump’s comments also raised new questions about Washington’s long-standing policy toward Taiwan. The US President described Taiwan as “a bit of a difficult problem” because of China’s geographical and military advantage.“When you look at the odds, China is a very big, powerful country. It’s a very small island. Think about it; it’s 59 miles away. We’re 9,500 miles away,” Trump told Fox News.
Trump also confirmed that he has not yet decided whether to move forward with a previously approved US arms package for Taiwan after hearing Xi’s objections during the visit.The proposed arms sale is still under review.
Tensions between China and Taiwan remain high
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, and has repeatedly vowed to bring the self-governing island under its control, including by force if necessary.However, Taiwan operates independently with its own government, military, and economy.The issue remains one of the biggest flashpoints in US-China relations.Beijing has increased military pressure around Taiwan in recent years through frequent naval and air force deployments near the island.
