Trump’s Taiwan independence comments: a blow to William Lai and ruling DPP?
Critics in Taiwan argue the island’s leader and his Democratic Progressive Party are rolling back decades of rhetoric under US pressure
Donald Trump’s comment that he is “not looking to have somebody go independent” has sparked debate in Taiwan over whether it undermines the ruling party’s pro-independence platform.
“I’m not looking to have somebody go independent,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News aired on Friday, adding that the United States was “9,500 miles” (about 15,300km) away from Taiwan and that he was “not looking” to fight a war.
His comments came shortly after Xi warned that the Taiwan issue could become the source of future “clashes and even conflicts” with Washington, according to the readout from Beijing following Thursday’s summit.