Trump says he wants Taiwan, China to ‘cool down’ amid tensions

US President Donald Trump said in remarks aired Friday that he wants both Taiwan and China to “cool down” amid tensions between the two sides, while signaling uncertainty over a major weapons package for Taipei.

“I’m not looking to have someone go independent, and we have to travel 9,500 to fight a war. I want Taiwan to cool down, I want China to cool down,” Trump said in the excerpt of an interview with Fox News.

Asked whether a multibillion-dollar weapons package for Taiwan was moving forward, Trump said: “Well, I haven’t approved it yet. We’re going to see what happens.”

Trump’s remarks come amid continued tensions between China and Taiwan.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said previously that peace across the Taiwan Strait is “irreconcilable as fire and water” with Taiwan independence.

“Safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the biggest common denominator between the two countries,” he added.

As Taiwan’s top arms supplier, the US approved $11 billion in arms sales last year, prompting protests from Beijing.

China considers Taiwan its “breakaway province,” while Taipei has insisted on its independence since 1949.