Trump says not concerned by Chinese drills around Taiwan

PALM BEACH, Florida - US President Donald Trump said on Dec 29 he was not concerned about China’s live-fire military drills around Taiwan
, appearing to brush aside the possibility of counterpart Xi Jinping ordering an invasion.

“I have a great relationship with President Xi. And he hasn’t told me anything about it. I certainly have seen it,” Mr Trump told reporters when asked about the exercises.

“I don’t believe he’s going to be doing it,” Mr Trump said in apparent reference to an invasion. Asked if the drills worried him, he replied: “No, nothing worries me.”

“They’ve been doing naval exercises for 20 years in that area. Now people take it a little bit differently.”

China regards the self-governing Taiwan as its territory to be reunified. Taiwan rejects China’s sovereignty claims.

On Dec 29, China launched drills that it said would simulate a blockade of the island’s key ports.

The show of force comes after the Trump administration approved a major new arms package for Taiwan.

The United States has been committed for decades to ensuring Taiwan’s self-defence, while staying ambiguous on whether the US military itself would intervene in an invasion. AFP