China Deploys More Warships Near Taiwan After High-Stakes Trump-Xi Meeting

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) said on Saturday it detected eight Chinese naval vessels and one official ship operating around the island, a day after US President Donald Trump ended his visit to China where Taiwan was one of the key topics discussed with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In a statement posted on X, Taiwan’s MND said, “8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded.”

The ministry said no Chinese military aircraft were detected during the period.

Taiwan’s armed forces said they monitored the Chinese activity and deployed combat air patrol aircraft, navy ships and coastal missile systems in response.

A day earlier, Taiwan had reported seven Chinese naval vessels and one official ship operating near its territorial waters, showing continued Chinese military activity around the island.

The latest deployments came shortly after Trump’s high-profile meetings in Beijing, where Taiwan, trade and the Iran war were discussed.

After the summit, Trump told Fox News he did not believe China would take aggressive action against Taiwan while he remained in office.

“I don’t think they’ll do anything when I’m here. When I’m not here, I think they might, to be honest with you,” Trump said.

Trump also said China did not want Taiwan to declare formal independence.

“It’s not a takeover. They just don’t want to see this place – we’ll call it a place because nobody knows how to define it – but they don’t want to see it go independent,” he said.

According to AP, Xi privately warned Trump during the talks that disagreements over Taiwan could bring the United States and China into confrontation or conflict.

Trump also said he had not yet decided whether to move forward with a previously approved US arms package for Taiwan after hearing Xi’s objections during the visit. The proposed arms sale remains under review.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly said it could use force if necessary to bring the self-ruled island under Beijing’s control.

Taiwan, however, operates with its own government, military and economy and rejects China’s sovereignty claims.

The Taiwan issue remains one of the biggest tensions between the United States and China and is closely watched because of its importance to regional security, naval operations and major Indo-Pacific shipping routes.

References: TOI, ANI