Taiwan issue is an internal matter, says China in response to Trump's comments

Taiwan is an internal matter for China, Beijing's Foreign Ministry said on Aug 18, in response to US President Donald Trump saying Chinese President Xi Jinping told him he will not invade the island while Mr Trump is in office.

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BEIJING - Taiwan is an internal matter for China, Beijing's Foreign Ministry said on Aug 18, in response to US President Donald Trump saying Chinese President Xi Jinping told him he will not invade the island while Mr Trump is in office.

Mr Trump had made the comments in an interview with Fox News ahead of talks in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow's war with Ukraine.

Asked about Mr Trump's remarks at a daily news briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory.

"The Taiwan issue is purely an internal affair of China, and how to resolve the Taiwan issue is a matter for the Chinese people," she said.

"We will do our utmost to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification. But we will never allow anyone or any force to separate Taiwan from China in any way."

China views Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to "reunify" with the democratic and separately governed island. Taiwan vehemently opposes China's sovereignty claims.