Trump Says China Knows the “Consequences” of Attacking Taiwan
In a CBS 60 Minutes interview aired on November 2, U.S. President Donald Trump said that China would not take military action against Taiwan during his presidency, asserting that Chinese leaders “know the consequences.”
“[T]hey understand what’s going to happen. And — he [Xi Jinping] has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, ‘We would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” Trump told 60 Minutes correspondent Norah O’Donnell.
Why It Matters: Credible Deterrence at the Core
Trump’s remarks came just days after his October 30 meeting with Chinese President Xi on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea. According to Trump, the issue of Taiwan “never came up” and “was not discussed”during his talks with Xi.
“People were a little surprised at that,” Trump said in the 60 Minutes interview. “He [Xi] never brought it up, because he understands it, and he understands it very well. Taiwan is a very interesting case. It’s 69 miles away from China. We’re 9,500 miles away. But that doesn’t matter. He understands what will happen.”
Trump’s comments underscore that credible U.S. deterrence remains a key factor in China’s calculations over Taiwan. As Beijing intensifies both military and political pressure, Washington’s commitment to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific has once again taken center stage.
China’s Drills: Rehearsals for Invasion
At an April 10 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Commander Adm. Samuel Paparo warned that China’s aggressive maneuvers around Taiwan are “not just exercises” but increasingly resemble “rehearsals” for an invasion. His testimony reinforced bipartisan concerns in Washington that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) drills are designed to normalize coercive pressure and prepare for a potential blockade or invasion scenario.
China has steadily escalated coercive actions aimed at altering the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific — including more frequent incursions into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and expanded operations by the PLA Navy, coast guard, and maritime militia across the First Island Chain. These activities increasingly challenge not only Taiwan but also U.S. treaty allies such as Japan and the Philippines.
Recent reports have also documented a rise in sabotage incidents targeting critical infrastructure, including the deliberate cutting of undersea communication cables linking Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Response: Peace Through Strength
Responding to Trump’s remarks, Taiwan’s PremierCho Jung-tai emphasized that Taiwan is already a sovereign and independent country — and that no individual or foreign nation has the right or the authority to invade Taiwan. Cho reiterated the principle of “peace through strength,” pledging that the government will continue to strengthen national defense and deterrence capabilities.
Sources:
[1] CBS News (Full Transcript of Trump’s Interview)
[2] Focus Taiwan
[3] Senate Armed Services Committee (Adm. Paparo’s Testimony)
[4] CNA (in Hanji)
Taiwan, U.S. Condemn Beijing’s Political Obstruction in Taiwan’s APEC Participation
On November 4, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) condemned Beijing for conditioning Taiwan’s participation in the 2026 APEC summit in Shenzhen on its so-called “One China Principle,” stressing that Taiwan, as an official APEC member, is entitled to equal participation rights and that China’s political interference violates the organization’s established norms and practices.
On November 6, a senior U.S. State Department official reaffirmed Washington’s firm support for Taiwan’s “full” and “equal” participation in next year’s APEC events in China.
Taiwan Rejects Beijing’s Political Preconditions
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung denounced Beijing’s stance as an “additional condition” on Taiwan’s participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and vowed to work with like-minded countries to take coordinated countermeasures.
When Beijing announced in November 2024 that it would host the 2026 APEC events, Taiwan also voiced concern over the safety of its delegation, citing China’s harsh laws targeting so-called “die-hard Taiwan independence separatists,” which allow for severe penalties, including capital punishment.
U.S. Reaffirms Support for Taiwan’s Equal APEC Role
Amid concerns that Beijing may restrict Taiwan’s role at next year’s APEC meetings, the United States reiterated its strong support for Taiwan’s participation.
“A really important feature of APEC is the fact that Taiwan is a full and equal participant and partner, and the United States supports that,” said Casey Mace, a senior U.S. State Department official for APEC, noting that Beijing pledged to uphold all established participation practices when it was approved as the 2026 host.
A Test of APEC’s Integrity and U.S. Leadership
Taiwan’s participation in the 2026 APEC summit will be a key test of whether the international community can resist Beijing’s coercion and uphold the organization’s integrity.
U.S. leadership will be crucial in ensuring that APEC remains inclusive and equal, rather than shaped by China’s authoritarian ambitions. Washington has pledged to secure Taiwan’s “full” and “equal” participation while pressing Beijing to honor its commitments to safety and dignity for all participants.
Sources:
[1] Taipei Times
[2] Focus Taiwan
[3] Focus Taiwan
Taiwan Condemns U.N. for Barring Taiwanese Activist from Qatar Summit
On November 7, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly condemned the United Nations for barring a Taiwanese citizen from attending a major U.N. meeting, calling the move a serious violation of fundamental human rights.
According to MOFA, the U.N. continues to deny entry and participation to individuals holding Taiwan passports across its system — a discriminatory practice that infringes on the fundamental rights of the Taiwanese people to participate in international affairs.
U.N. Tells Taiwanese Activist to Change Nationality: A “Mission Impossible”
The incident came to light after Vivi Lin, a Taiwanese advocate for menstrual equity and gender equality, revealed on Facebook that she had been barred from participating in the World Summit for Social Development, held in Qatar from November 4–6.
Lin said that during the registration process, the U.N. Secretariat sent her an email requesting that she “change her nationality” in order to complete her application. After she protested the request, her participation was later canceled without explanation.
Lin, founder of the NGO With Red, called the U.N.’s demand a “mission impossible.” She expressed disappointment that an organization promoting equality would itself discriminate against Taiwanese citizens.
MOFA Calls for U.N. Action to End Discrimination
In response, MOFA said it has been working with allied and like-minded countries to urge the U.N. to rectify this discriminatory practice, but so far, the U.N. Secretariat has not provided any positive response.
The ministry vowed to continue pursuing the matter, urging the U.N. to resist China’s political coercion, uphold the principles of equal rights and universal human dignity enshrined in the U.N. Charter, and end the exclusion of holders of Taiwan passports from U.N. events.
