On October 21, 2025, during a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. President Trump stated that he expects to discuss Taiwan-related issues with CCP leader Xi Jinping during the upcoming APEC summit next week. He aims to downplay the risk of conflict in the Taiwan Strait and anticipates that the U.S. and China will reach a fair trade agreement.
Trump addressed questions about whether Xi Jinping intends to invade Taiwan, expressing his belief that he does not think the CCP will invade Taiwan. While he did not explicitly state that he would authorize the U.S. military to defend Taiwan, he emphasized that China is aware of the vast scale and unmatched strength of the U.S. military.
“I believe our relationship with China will be fine. China does not want to do that. As for Taiwan – perhaps indeed – it is a focus for him, but I don’t see anything happening,” Trump said.
He added, “First of all, the United States has the most powerful military in the world, far ahead and unmatched. We have the top-notch equipment, everything is the best, no one dares to challenge us. I do not see Xi Jinping taking any action. I believe we will get along very well.”
When asked whether the U.S. might adjust its stance on Taiwan sovereignty to reach a trade agreement with China, Trump stated that Taiwan could be a topic in the U.S.-China talks but he did not intend to discuss it at the moment.
“I believe that after our talks in Korea, China and I will reach a very fair, very outstanding trade agreement. Both sides will be satisfied,” Trump said.
However, Trump also warned that if China does not come to the negotiation table by November 1, the U.S. will increase tariffs by 100%.
Currently, trade tensions between the U.S. and China persist, with disputes over tariffs, technology, and market access remaining unresolved ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting.
This is the second time since taking office in January that Trump has publicly discussed Taiwan. In August, Trump stated that Xi Jinping told him that as long as he remains president, there will be no invasion of Taiwan.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also took a tough stance on Monday, warning China that the U.S. will respond to the “broader economic coercion” by the CCP against the Hanwa Group.
In a statement, Greer pointed out, “Coercive tactics will not prevent the U.S. from rebuilding shipbuilding infrastructure, and the U.S. will respond appropriately to China’s efforts to dominate critical industries.”
During the meeting with Australian Prime Minister, both sides signed a key minerals agreement aimed at countering the CCP and pledged to expedite the delivery of nuclear submarines to Australia.