‘Xi understands how I feel’: Trump says Taiwan not a major point of friction

Chinese president Xi Jinping and US president Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump sought to play down Taiwan as a major point of friction with China after his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying the two leaders did not discuss the issue in detail despite it being one of the most sensitive flashpoints in US-China ties.“We didn’t talk about Taiwan too much with Xi. Right now, it’s, you know, fine. It’s just moving along. Xi understands very much how I feel,” Trump told reporters.Trump and Xi met at the White House last week as the two countries sought to stabilise ties after months of tensions over trade, technology and other geopolitical issues. The summit produced an extension of the US-China trade truce, while differences over Taiwan, artificial intelligence and Iran remained unresolved.Trump’s remarks came even as Taiwan continues to wait for Washington’s approval of a proposed $14 billion arms package, which has been held up for months. The package was reportedly put on hold after Trump’s meeting with Xi in Beijing earlier this year, and the US president has so far not indicated whether it will move forward following the latest summit.Ahead of the Washington talks, Beijing had made clear that Taiwan remained a “red line” and had pressed the United States to halt arms sales to the self-governed island, which China claims as its own territory. Xi was expected to raise the issue directly with Trump as part of broader discussions on trade, technology and regional security.Taipei, meanwhile, sought to reassure domestic audiences that US support remained intact. Taiwan deputy foreign minister Chen Ming-chi said Washington “very much” understands the island’s defence requirements and the military pressure it faces from China, adding that both sides remain in close communication.US law requires Washington to provide Taiwan with defensive capabilities, but the delay in the latest arms package has become a closely watched test of how Trump balances efforts to stabilise ties with Beijing against longstanding American support for Taipei.