Trump told Taiwan not to 'go independent' - but does it want to?

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Trump told Taiwan not to 'go independent' - but does it want to? 2 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleTessa WongAsia Digital ReporterAlex WROBLEWSKI / via Getty ImagesTrump's comments have sparked a flurry of responses from TaiwanHours after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing last week, Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Taiwan against pursuing independence. "I'm not looking to have somebody go independent.

And, you know, we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I'm not looking for that. I want them to cool down.

The Details

I want China to cool down," he told Fox News in an interview that aired on Friday. Trump's comments - some of the strongest a US president has made so far on the issue - immediately sparked a flurry of responses from Taiwan saying it does not see the need to formally declare independence. Taiwanese independence is the reddest of red lines for Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own and has accused its president Lai Ching-te of being a separatist.

But the issue is a lot more nuanced. Why does China want Taiwan? China's desire to "reunify" with Taiwan is a long and historical one.

It dates back to the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, when the Chinese Communist Party won control of China and the losing Kuomintang forces retreated to Taiwan, setting up their own government. Beijing has since claimed the self-governed island. But after Xi came to power, the Chinese government has doubled down on its threats and sought ways to stamp out what it sees as separatism.

What Experts Say

Taiwan's "reunification" with China has become a key goal - Xi himself has called it an "unstoppable" reality. In recent years, China has stepped up various forms of pressure, through military drills that have simulated blockades; the diplomatic isolation of Taiwan; and greyzone warfare where it sends warships and fighter jets close to Taiwanese waters and airspace on a regular basis. During last week's summit, Xi had told Trump that the issue of Taiwan was the most important one in US-China relations, and that mishandling it could lead to conflict.

As the US is Taiwan's closest ally - it is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself - observers have long worried that any attack on Taiwan would draw the US into direct conflict with China. China has made clear its stance on Taiwan in its Anti-Secession Law, introduced in 2005, in which it states that it wants "peaceful reunification" with the island. But the Anti-Secession Law also states that should "Taiwan independence" forces cause secession from China, or the possibility of "peaceful reunification" has been exhausted, China can employ "non-peaceful means" to protect its territorial integrity.

What this means is that China does not rule out the use of military force to take Taiwan if it deems it necessary. Most people believe that a formal declaration of independence by Taiwan's government would trigger this response. Does Taiwan want independence?

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.