By Sola Adeniji|M10news|World News|17 August 2025
Donald Trump has claimed Chinese President Xi Jinping personally assured him that Beijing would not invade Taiwan while he remains in the White House.
President Trump made the comments in an interview with Fox News’ Special Report on Friday, ahead of his planned meeting in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
“I will tell you, you have a very similar thing with President Xi of China and Taiwan, but I don’t believe there’s any way it’s going to happen as long as I’m here. We’ll see,” Mr Trump said.
According to Mr Trump, Mr Xi told him, “I will never do it as long as you’re president.”
“I said, ‘Well, I appreciate that,’” he added. “But he also said, ‘But I am very patient, and China is very patient.’”
The Republican did not say when the remarks were made, though the two leaders held their first confirmed phone call in June during Mr Trump’s second term.
In April, Mr Trump also claimed to have spoken with Mr Xi by telephone, though he did not disclose the timing of that exchange.
Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly warned that it could use force to bring the self-governing island under its control.
Taipei rejects China’s sovereignty claims and insists it will defend its democratic system and de facto independence.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington on Friday described Taiwan as “the most important and sensitive issue” in bilateral relations.
Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu urged the U.S. government to “adhere to the one-China principle and the three U.S.-China joint communiqués, handle Taiwan-related issues prudently, and earnestly safeguard China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
While Washington has no formal diplomatic ties with Taipei, it remains Taiwan’s principal arms supplier and strongest international supporter.
