Free Republic

Donald Trump has cast doubt over whether as U.S. president he would defend Taiwan if China were to invade the self-governed island Beijing views as part of its territory. "Taiwan is 9,500 miles away," the former president told Bloomberg, "it's 68 miles away from China." China's long-ruling Communist Party claims Taiwan as its own but has never ruled there since coming to power in Beijing in 1949. Taipei rejects its neighbor's assertions. The GOP nominee for the U.S. presidential election appeared to suggest that Taiwan should pay the U.S. for protection, telling the outlet: "I don't think we're any different...

aiwan underscored its own "red line" on Wednesday after its defense minister said Taiwanese forces wouldn't be moved by China's military maneuvers around the island. Taiwan underscored its own "red line" on Wednesday after its defense minister said Taiwanese forces wouldn't be moved by China's military maneuvers around the island. Taiwan’s defense minister, Chiu Kuo-cheng, then intelligence chief, attends a press conference on August 2, 2019, in Taipei, Taiwan. Chiu told the island’s lawmakers on October 5, 2022, that Taiwanese forces would counterattack if China’s aircraft crossed Taiwan’s “red line.” Taiwan’s defense minister, Chiu Kuo-cheng, then intelligence chief, attends a...