“And, you know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I’m not looking for that,” he told Fox News, adding that he wants both sides to “cool down.”
While the U.S. does not officially recognize the self-governing island, it has come under criticism from China for selling weapons to Taiwan, which Xi urged Trump not to continue, as China recognizes Taiwan as part of Chinese territory.
Xi called Taiwan “the most important issue in China-U.S. relations,” according to Chinese state media, and that if not handled properly, the two sides may come into conflict. However, Trump pushed back against any escalation of tension, insisting that “[Xi] doesn’t want to see a war.”