Taiwan asserts sovereignty after Trump warns against self-determination

Taiwan asserted its sovereignty Saturday after U.S. President Donald Trump warned against Taiwanese self-determination following the American leader’s two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Taiwan “is a sovereign and independent democratic nation, and is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry’s remarks come as a swift rebuke against Trump, who said Friday that he was “not looking to have somebody go independent” when asked about whether the U.S. would come to Taiwan’s rescue in the event of an invasion by China.

“And, you know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I’m not looking for that,” he told Fox News, adding that he wants both sides to “cool down.”

While the U.S. does not officially recognize the self-governing island, it has come under criticism from China for selling weapons to Taiwan, which Xi urged Trump not to continue, as China recognizes Taiwan as part of Chinese territory.

Xi called Taiwan “the most important issue in China-U.S. relations,” according to Chinese state media, and that if not handled properly, the two sides may come into conflict. However, Trump pushed back against any escalation of tension, insisting that “[Xi] doesn’t want to see a war.”