Trump warns Xi Jinping of severe consequences if China invades Taiwan

US President Donald Trump said that China "knows the consequences" if it attacks Taiwan, asserting that Chinese President Xi Jinping understands the situation "very well."

Trump made the remarks in an interview with CBS following his meeting with Xi.

Trump said, "You'll find out if it happens, and he understands the answer to that. This never even came up yesterday as a subject. He never brought it up. People were a little surprised that he never brought it up because he understands it, and he understands it very well."

Trump declined to reveal his strategy on a potential Taiwan conflict and insisted China "understands what will happen" if it attempts any aggression.

He added, "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. The other side knows, but I'm not somebody that tells you everything because you're asking me a question, but they understand what's going to happen."

Trump said Chinese officials avoided acting against Taiwan during his presidency claiming they knew the "consequences."

Trump further stated, "He has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, we would never do anything while President Trump is president because they know the consequences."

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth expressed grave concern over China's growing military assertiveness around Taiwan and in the South China Sea during his first face-to-face meeting with China's Minister of National Defense Admiral Dong Jun in Malaysia on October 31.

The meeting, held alongside a summit of Southeast Asian defence chiefs, followed a day after Trump's talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea, as reported by The Epoch Times.

According to The Epoch Times, Hegseth stated on X that he underscored the "importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific," emphasising America's concerns about China's increasing activities that threaten Taiwan and regional allies.

The Pentagon chief reiterated that while Washington does not seek confrontation, it "will continue to firmly defend its interests" and maintain sufficient military presence to ensure regional stability.

During the meeting, Admiral Dong Jun repeated the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) long-held position on Taiwan, demanding that the United States act "cautiously" on issues related to the island. He urged Washington to adopt a stance that "firmly opposes Taiwan independence."

Although the CCP has never governed Taiwan, it continues to claim the self-ruled democracy as part of its territory and has not ruled out using military force to seize control.

Over recent years, China has intensified its coercive tactics, conducting extensive military drills, sending warplanes near Taiwan's airspace almost daily, and heightening fears of a possible conflict in the Taiwan Strait, as highlighted by The Epoch Times.

US intelligence assessments indicate that Xi Jinping has directed the Chinese military to prepare for a potential invasion by 2027.

During his visit to Tokyo earlier this week, Hegseth warned that Beijing's rapid military build-up represents a "real and urgent threat" to the Indo-Pacific.

Praising Japan's decision to strengthen its defence capabilities, he emphasised that the US-Japan alliance remains essential to deterring Chinese aggression and safeguarding peace across the region, as reported by The Epoch Times.