Trump Appears To Downplay Threat of Chinese Attack on Taiwan

TaiwanPlus News

US President Donald Trump appeared to downplay the risk of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. He says he may discuss Taiwan with Chinese President Xi Jinping during an upcoming meeting.

Transcript

00:00U.S. President Donald Trump is asked by a reporter about the likelihood of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

00:07In response, he says something striking.

00:10China doesn't want to do that.

00:12First of all, the United States is the strongest military power in the world by far.

00:16It's not even close. Not even close.

00:18We have the best equipment. We have the best of everything.

00:21And nobody's going to mess with that.

00:23And I don't see that at all with President Xi.

00:26I think we're going to get along very well as it pertains to Taiwan and others.

00:31Trump was speaking at a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Antony Albanese.

00:36His comments come as China has been stepping up efforts to intimidate and influence Taiwan.

00:41China considers the country part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to take control of it.

00:47Trump has also indicated he may discuss Taiwan with Chinese President Xi Jinping later next week

00:53when the two are expected to meet on the sidelines of APEC in South Korea.

00:58Trump has indicated his priority is reaching a, quote, fair trade deal with China.

01:02Asked whether the U.S. would consider adjusting its position on Taiwan independence to reach such a deal,

01:08Trump said, quote, we're going to be talking about a lot of things.

01:11I assume that will be one of them.

01:14In response, Taiwan officials have appeared to try to reassure that U.S. support for Taiwan is stable,

01:20with its foreign ministry saying this.

01:23And its premier, pressed by legislators,

01:48says he remains hopeful about any discussion of Taiwan between Trump and Xi.

01:53Taiwan and the US are the same as the world's main role of the world's main role of the world's main role of the world.

01:59Whether it's Taiwan to support the US or Taiwan to be able to be able to build a stronghold of the world with China,

02:04I also believe that the Trump's Prime Minister, even with Xi's President,

02:08should be in the same role of the world's main role of the world's main role of the world.

02:13One expert also said he doesn't believe Trump will make any concessions on Taiwan during the meeting.

02:19Donald Trump has a nose for power and, you know, he has an instinct for power and he doesn't like to be the least powerful person in the room.

02:29He wants to be the most powerful person in any room.

02:34And so for this reason, I don't see him as making concessions that he feels fundamentally endanger his position or that of the United States.

02:46All this comes as some have raised questions about Trump's commitment to Taiwan.

02:52The Trump administration has several times appeared to undercut its relations with Taiwan amid trade talks with China.

02:59And there have been reports that Beijing has repeatedly pressed Trump to declare that the US opposes Taiwan independence.

03:06For now, Taiwan will be waiting to see what comes out of the expected Trump-Xi meeting and what it could mean for its security and its future.

03:13Chris Ma and Cadence Coranta for Taiwan Plus.

03:16Chris Ma and Cadence Coranta.

03:17Chris Ma and Cadence Coranta.

03:18Chris Ma and Cadence Coranta.

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