Washington, Aug. 17, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping assured him China would not attempt to invade Taiwan while Trump remains in office.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News ahead of his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow’s war in Ukraine, Trump said the Taiwan issue came up in his conversations with Xi.
“I will tell you, you know, 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 am here. We will see,” Trump told Fox News’ Special Report.
According to Trump, Xi personally told him: “I will never do it as long as you are President.” Trump added, “I appreciated that, but he also said, ‘I am very patient, and China is very patient.’”
Trump and Xi held their first confirmed phone call of Trump’s second presidential term in June.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has repeatedly vowed to “reunify” with the self-ruled island, by force if necessary. Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and insists on preserving its democratic governance.
Responding to Trump’s remarks, the Chinese Embassy in Washington reiterated that Taiwan remains “the most important and sensitive issue” in U.S.-China relations.
“The U.S. should 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,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said in a statement.
