United States President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping had asked him on Friday (May 15, 2026) if the U.S. would defend Taiwan in the event of a conflict.

“That question was asked to me today by President Xi. I said, “I don’t talk about that,” Mr. Trump told reporters after departing China, speaking aboard Air Force One on the way back to the U.S. 

Mr. Xi in Thursday’s talks said the Taiwan issue was the most important question and biggest risk to China-U.S. relations. Both leaders have said they want to inject stability into the relationship.

The U.S., which in 1979 recognised the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China and ceased formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, has followed a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on whether it would involve itself in a conflict, and has said it was opposed to unilateral changes in the status quo.

Mr. Trump was asked whether he would move ahead with expected arms sales to Taiwan, in keeping with past U.S. practice. “I’ll make a determination over the next fairly short period,” he said. “President Xi and I talked a lot about Taiwan…. He’s against very much what they’re doing. We talked about Taiwan and Iran a lot. I think we have a very good understanding on both. On Taiwan, he does not want to see a fight for independence. I heard him out, I did not make a comment on it. I have a lot of respect for him.”

“The last thing we need right now,” Mr. Trump added, “is a war that’s 9,500 miles away”.