Former President Donald Trump has issued a veiled warning to Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding any potential aggression towards Taiwan. During an interview, Trump suggested that China “understands what will happen” if it attempts to invade the self-governing island. He indicated that Xi Jinping is well aware of the repercussions, stating, “You’ll find out if it happens, and he understands the answer to that.” Trump elaborated that while the topic wasn’t explicitly discussed in a recent meeting with Xi, the Chinese leader’s understanding of the situation is profound. When pressed about his specific strategy for deterring such an invasion, Trump declined to elaborate, emphasizing that revealing his hand would be counterproductive. He stated, “I can’t give away my secrets. I don’t want to be one of these guys that tells you exactly what’s going to happen if something happens.” He reiterated that Beijing is aware of the potential consequences. Trump also claimed that during his presidency, China refrained from taking action against Taiwan precisely because they understood the potential fallout. He mentioned that Chinese officials had openly communicated their reluctance to act while he was in office due to the known consequences. Separately, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth recently expressed significant concerns about China’s escalating military posture in the Indo-Pacific, particularly its actions concerning Taiwan and the South China Sea. These remarks were made during a meeting with China’s Minister of National Defense Admiral Dong Jun in Malaysia, following Trump’s prior discussions with Xi Jinping. Hegseth stressed the necessity of maintaining regional stability and highlighted U.S. apprehension over China’s increasingly assertive behavior.
