Taiwan

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Taiwan on Saturday declared that it remains an independent nation after United States President Donald Trump cautioned the island against making a formal declaration of independence.

Trump issued the warning shortly after concluding a state visit to Beijing on Friday. During the visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the American leader not to support Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of Chinese territory.

Taiwan relies heavily on support from the United States to discourage China from carrying out its repeated threat to take control of the island by force.

In response to Trump’s remarks, Taiwan’s foreign ministry stated that the island’s status was clear.

“Taiwan is a sovereign and independent democratic nation, and is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China,” the ministry said.

The ministry also defended continued American weapons sales to Taiwan. It said such sales remain part of Washington’s security obligations to the island.

Trump, during an interview with Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier”, said he did not want Taiwan to move toward formal independence.

“I’m not looking to have somebody go independent. And, you know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I’m not looking for that,” he said.

“I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down,” Trump added.

“We’re not looking to have wars, and if you kept it the way it is, I think China’s going to be OK with that.”

The United States officially recognises Beijing rather than Taipei. Washington does not support a formal declaration of independence by Taiwan. However, the US has traditionally avoided openly stating that it opposes such a move.

American law also requires Washington to provide defensive weapons to Taiwan, although the US has remained unclear about whether its military would directly defend the island in the event of a conflict.

Xi reportedly raised concerns over Taiwan during his discussions with Trump in Beijing. The Chinese president warned that mistakes on the issue could trigger “conflict”.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te considers Taiwan already independent, which means a formal declaration is unnecessary.

Taiwan’s Presidential Office on Saturday pointed to what it described as continued support from Washington.

The office cited “multiple reaffirmations from the US side, including President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, that the consistent US policy and position toward Taiwan remain unchanged”.

Presidential spokeswoman Karen Kuo also stressed the importance of cooperation between Taipei and Washington.

“Taiwan-US cooperation has always been demonstrated through action,” she said.

“Taiwan looks forward to continuing to work with the US under the firm commitments of the Taiwan Relations Act.”

Ahead of the Beijing summit, Trump said he planned to discuss US weapons sales to Taiwan with Xi. His comments marked a shift from Washington’s earlier position that it would not consult China on the issue.

Taiwan’s parliament recently approved a defence spending package worth $25 billion. Lawmakers said part of the money would cover almost $9 billion from an $11.1 billion US arms package announced in December.

Officials also disclosed plans for another phase of weapons purchases valued at more than $15 billion, although the package has yet to receive approval from Washington.

Speaking to reporters while travelling to Washington on Friday, Trump said he would soon decide on the issue of arms sales.

“I’ll make a determination over the next fairly short period of time,” he said.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry later described the arms sales as “not only a US security commitment to Taiwan clearly stipulated in the Taiwan Relations Act, but also a form of joint deterrence against regional threats”.

China has continued to increase military pressure on Taiwan in recent years and has repeatedly vowed to bring the island under its control, including through the possible use of force.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

China has lifted import tariffs on goods from 53 African countries. The new policy grants duty-free access to almost all nations on the continent, except Eswatini.

The measure took effect on Friday. It applies to African countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Beijing. Eswatini remains the only country left out because it has formal ties with Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory.

China had earlier removed tariffs on products from 33 least-developed African countries in December 2024. The latest move adds 20 more countries to the arrangement. According to Global Times, these nations will enjoy preferential duty-free access until 30 April 2028.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the decision would boost the competitiveness of African exports in its market. Products expected to benefit include cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, citrus and wine from South Africa, as well as coffee and avocados from Kenya.

Officials also said the policy could support the growth of processing industries across Africa and attract more investment into the sector.

Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, described the move as an “expression of China’s willingness to voluntarily expand openness and assume more international responsibilities”.

“It aims to share opportunities with Africa and achieve common development,” he said.

China remains Africa’s largest trading partner. In 2025, it imported goods worth more than £90 billion from the continent. This represents an increase of 5.4 per cent compared to the previous year. Total trade between both sides reached £255 billion.

The chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, welcomed the development. He said the policy was “very timely” as African economies face global economic challenges and rising protectionist measures.

“I would like to express, on behalf of the African Union Commission, our sincere gratitude for this very brotherly gesture that all Africans appreciate,” he said.

The tariff removal forms part of China’s broader economic plan under its 15th Five-Year Plan covering 2026 to 2030. The plan focuses on expanding market access and strengthening trade and investment ties.

Lauren Johnston, a research fellow at the AustChina Institute, said the expanded access could increase agricultural exports. She noted it may also “help elevate rural incomes, improve rural productivity, and ultimately reduce hunger and poverty”.

However, some experts believe tariff cuts alone may not solve Africa’s trade challenges. Jervin Naidoo, a political analyst at Oxford Economics Africa, said that “many African economies still face structural constraints such as limited industrial capacity, weak logistics, and reliance on raw commodity exports, which tariff reductions alone cannot address”.