Taiwan's foreign ministry declared the island a "sovereign and independent democratic nation" on Saturday, stating that it is "not subordinate to the People's Republic of China.” The statement came hours after President Donald Trump, wrapping up a two-day state visit to Beijing, told Fox News he opposes Taiwan pursuing formal independence, described a pending $14 billion arms package as a "very good negotiating chip," and repeated his claim that Taiwan "stole" the U.S. semiconductor industry. Trump said he wants 40% to 50% of global chip production on American soil by the end of his term.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump delivered notably different messages about Taiwan within the same 24-hour period. Rubio told NBC News late Thursday that U.S. policy is "unchanged as of today," warned it would be "a terrible mistake" for China to use force, and said there would be global "repercussions" if Beijing moved militarily.
