Trump says he does not believe Xi will act on Taiwan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) : US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping told him China would not invade Taiwan while Trump is in office.

Trump made the comments in an interview with Fox News, ahead of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

“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’m here. We’ll see,” Trump said during an interview on Fox News’ “Special Report.”

“He told me, ‘I will never do it as long as you’re president.’ President Xi told me that, and I said, ‘Well, I appreciate that,’ but he also said, ‘But I am very patient, and China is very patient.’,” Trump said.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump and Xi held their first confirmed call of Trump’s second presidential term in June. Trump also said in April that Xi had called him but did not specify when that call took place.

China views Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to “reunify” with the democratic and separately governed island, by force if necessary. Taiwan strongly objects to China’s sovereignty claims.

Although Washington is Taiwan’s main arms supplier and international backer, the US — like most countries — has no formal diplomatic ties with the island.