Taiwan must depend on its own defenses to guarantee security, the island’s foreign ministry said Tuesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Chinese leader Xi Jinping had assured him Beijing would not invade Taiwan while he was in office.
For more than five years, democratic Taiwan has faced intensifying military and political pressure from China, which considers the self-ruled island its “sacred” territory and has never ruled out using force to bring it under its control.
Asked about Trump’s comments, Taiwanese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei said Taipei carefully monitors high-level U.S.-China interactions but stressed that self-reliance remains essential. “Taiwan’s security must be achieved through its own efforts, so our country has been dedicating itself to raising its self-defense capabilities and resilience. Our country will keep working hard to do this,” Hsiao told reporters.
The United States remains Taiwan’s most important backer and arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties. Washington is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, but under its long-standing policy of “strategic ambiguity” has not committed to military intervention should China attack.
Trump made the invasion remarks in an interview with Fox News, ahead of planned talks in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war.
China, responding on Monday, reiterated that Taiwan is an internal matter for the Chinese people to resolve. Taipei, however, strongly rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and insists only the island’s 23 million people can determine their future.
The exchange highlights the delicate balance of U.S. policy, China’s growing assertiveness, and Taiwan’s determination to bolster its defenses in the face of mounting threats.
Written By Rodney Mbua
