US not abandoning Taiwan for China deal, says Rubio
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct 25 for his flight to Doha.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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- Marco Rubio stated the US will not abandon Taiwan for a trade deal with China, despite President Trump seeking such a deal.
- The US maintains a policy of recognising Beijing, but provides Taiwan with weapons for self-defence against China.
- Trump has sent mixed signals on Taiwan, sometimes viewing it as an economic rival, but now doubts China will invade.
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JERUSALEM – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected on Oct 25 the idea of abandoning Taiwan as part of a trade deal with China sought by President Donald Trump.
Mr Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in the coming week during a summit in South Korea, with Mr Trump eyeing a deal on trade relations between the world’s two largest economies.
“Taiwan has a lot of things that they’re worried about, and rightfully so because of the situation they find themselves in,” Mr Rubio told reporters on his plane between Israel and Qatar.
“If what people are worried about is we’re going to get some trade deal, or we’re going to get favourable treatment on trade in exchange for walking away from Taiwan, no one is contemplating that,” he said.
Under longstanding policy, the United States recognises only Beijing but provides weapons for the self-defence of Taiwan, a self-governing democracy claimed by China.
Mr Trump during his campaign sent mixed signals on his commitment to Taiwan, and at times has cast the high-tech powerhouse as an economic competitor.
Mr Trump recently said that he doubted China was planning to invade Taiwan, pointing in part to what he called his good relationship with Mr Xi. AFP
