Rubio says US Taiwan policy unchanged after Trump Xi meeting

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said U.S. policy toward Taiwan was “unchanged” after President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a signal aimed at calming doubts that the summit could bring a shift in Washington’s long-set position.

Rubio’s reassurance came after he warned on May 6 that Taiwan would be a topic at the meeting and cautioned against “destabilizing” moves before Trump’s trip to China. That warning reflected the stakes around the Taiwan Strait, where Beijing has continued to press Taiwan militarily while Washington remains the island’s key international backer and arms supplier.

The core of the U.S. approach has not changed in decades. Since 1979, Washington has maintained official relations with Beijing and unofficial relations with Taiwan, a balance guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three U.S.-China Joint Communiqués and the Six Assurances. The State Department has described that approach as consistent across administrations, underscoring that Taiwan policy is designed to deter coercion without formally recognizing Taiwan as a sovereign state.

Xi made the issue explicit before the meeting, warning Trump that tensions over Taiwan could jeopardize U.S.-China relations and could lead to “clashes and even conflicts” if handled carelessly. That language captured why the summit carried more than symbolic weight: Taiwan is not only a flashpoint between the two militaries, but also a test of whether top-level diplomacy can prevent escalation while neither side gives ground.

In Washington, the issue was politically sensitive as well. Bipartisan senators urged Rubio to hold firm and avoid any unilateral change in Taiwan policy before the Trump-Xi meeting, a reminder that support for Taiwan cuts across party lines in Congress. The pressure on Rubio showed how closely lawmakers watch any sign that the White House might trade away strategic clarity for diplomatic room with Beijing.

For now, the administration is signaling continuity. Rubio’s comments aligned with the traditional U.S. formula: keep formal ties with China, maintain unofficial support for Taiwan, and preserve enough military and diplomatic leverage to resist coercion. The question after the Trump-Xi meeting is not whether the policy exists, but whether the White House will keep matching that doctrine with the same level of restraint and resolve.