Trump's statement is no ordinary one! Following the highest-level meeting between China and the U.S., President Trump—having not addressed the Taiwan issue during his visit to Beijing—has now proactively spoken on the matter. To reporters, Trump stated that U.S. policy toward Taiwan is moving toward "neutrality." He emphasized that America's stance toward Taiwan has not changed: "We don’t want certain people pushing for independence, nor will we send Americans 9,500 miles to fight a war." He expressed hope that both sides would calm down—both in Taiwan and on the mainland.

Regarding arms sales to Taiwan, Trump said he might approve or might not approve—it remains a very valuable bargaining chip for us. China is an extremely powerful nation, while Taiwan is merely a small island. Clearly, although Trump did not explicitly state opposition to "Taiwan independence" or support for peaceful reunification, this time the U.S. government’s usual rhetoric opposing any use of force to alter the status quo was notably absent.

In particular, the statement "we won't let Americans travel 9,500 miles to go to war" sends a very clear signal. In fact, this is not the first time Trump has highlighted the vast distance between Taiwan and the United States. Such remarks almost definitively indicate that the U.S. will not directly send troops into the Taiwan Strait. Of course, we also see that Trump has shown some flexibility on arms sales—but he is still wavering. Yet, the fact that Trump is now hesitating over arms sales suggests that he has fully felt the seriousness of our firm position.

From the perspective of Sino-U.S. relations, both words and actions regarding Taiwan are crucial. Trump’s response clearly carries far less provocation than before, and his backing of "Taiwan independence" has significantly diminished. Trump has extended an invitation for high-level talks during his visit to China, and we have given a positive response. We believe dialogue on the Taiwan issue will continue through September. If the U.S. wishes to expand the space for cooperation with China, suspending or cutting off arms sales to Taiwan would undoubtedly open new room for bilateral collaboration.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865299715176459/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of its author.