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Taiwan President: We will not provoke conflict nor give up sovereignty

2026-05-18 08:17:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Taiwan will not provoke any conflict, but neither will it give up its sovereignty, its president Lai Ching-te said after a high-stakes summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, where they discussed the issue of Taiwan independence.

According to Chinese state media, Xi had told Trump that Taiwan, a self-governing island claimed by Beijing, was the "most important issue" in bilateral relations and its mishandling could lead to conflict.

After his visit to Beijing, Trump issued a warning about Taiwan, telling Fox News: "I'm not asking anyone to become independent."

The US is an early ally of Taiwan and is legally obligated to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

During his interview, Trump said that US policy towards Taiwan had not changed, while making it clear that he did not seek conflict with Beijing.

Trump also told reporters that Xi had "very strong" feelings about Taiwan, but Trump had "not made any commitments on any of those aspects."

Under the leadership of Lai and his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen, the Taiwanese government has maintained for years that it does not need to formally declare independence because it already considers Taiwan a sovereign nation.

Lai reiterated this stance in his Facebook post, which was his first direct reaction to the summit, saying that "there is no issue of 'Taiwan independence'."

"Taiwan, the Republic of China, is an independent sovereign and democratic country," he wrote, adding that "Taiwan's future must follow the will of all Taiwanese people."

Most people in Taiwan consider themselves a sovereign nation. But many others also favor maintaining the "status quo" in cross-strait relations: neither unification with China nor a formal declaration of independence.

Beijing has openly expressed its dislike of Lai, whom it has described as a "troublemaker" and "destroyer of cross-strait peace."

Lai wrote on Facebook that "Taiwan will not provoke, will not escalate the conflict, but will not give up under pressure its national sovereignty and dignity, as well as its democratic and free way of life."

"Taiwan has always been a staunch defender of the status quo on both sides of the Strait, not a party to change it," he wrote.

He also said Taiwan was willing to "promote healthy and regular exchanges and dialogue with China on the principle of equality and dignity," but rejects China's attempt to use "unification" as a cover to force Taiwan to enter into dialogue.

Previously, the presidential spokesman had said it was "self-evident" that Taiwan was "a sovereign, democratic and independent country", while adding that they were committed to maintaining the status quo.

Beijing has said it wants "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan, but has not ruled out using force to take the island.
For decades, the US has sold arms to Taiwan, under the Taiwan Relations Act, so the island could defend itself in the event of an attack. Today, the US remains Taiwan's most powerful ally and largest arms supplier.

In December, the Trump administration approved arms sales worth $11 billion (£8 billion) to Taiwan - one of the largest ever.

The move sparked anger from Beijing, which in recent years has increased pressure on Taiwan with regular military exercises - including blockade simulations - around the island.

Trump told reporters on Air Force One after leaving Beijing that he would decide whether the sale would go ahead, adding that he and Xi had discussed it "in great detail."

Since 1982, the US has assured Taiwan that it would not consult with Beijing on arms sales to Taiwan. But when asked about that commitment on his return from Beijing on Friday, Trump said the 1980s were a "long way off."

On Sunday, Lai thanked Trump for his "continued support" for peace in the Taiwan Strait, as well as for increasing arms sales to Taiwan.

"Given that China has never renounced the use of force to annex Taiwan and continues to expand its military power in an attempt to change the regional and cross-strait status quo, continued American arms sales to Taiwan and deeper US-Taiwan security cooperation are necessary and a key factor in maintaining regional peace and stability," Lai wrote. /CNA, translated by BBC