President Trump states Xi Jinping knows consequences of Taiwan invasion but refuses to specify US military response in CBS interview
WEST PALM BEACH: President Donald Trump stated that Xi Jinping understands the consequences if China invades Taiwan.
Trump refused to specifically confirm whether the United States would defend the island during a CBS News interview broadcast on Sunday.
The president revealed that Taiwan never even came up as a subject during his meeting with the Chinese president in South Korea on Thursday.
Trump conducted the interview on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
When asked on CBS’s 60 Minutes whether he would order US forces into action if China moved militarily on Taiwan, Trump said you will find out if it happens, and he understands the answer to that.
Trump declined to spell out what he meant during the interview.
The US president explained that he cannot give away his secrets because the other side knows.
Trump claimed that Xi and those close to him had openly said they would never do anything while President Trump is president.
He stated this is because they know the consequences.
China claims self-governing Taiwan as its territory.
Under longstanding policy, the United States recognizes only Beijing but provides weapons for the island’s self-defense.
The issue continues to provoke tensions between the two nations.
Trump and Xi appeared to have avoided the Taiwan issue at their summit.
They focused instead on easing the trade war between Washington and Beijing. – AFP
