China, in his words · 2016 campaign · № 36

On China

Questioned why the U.S. should be 'bound by a one China policy' without a deal on trade

“I fully understand the 'one China' policy, but I don't know why we have to be bound by a 'one China' policy unless we make a deal with China having to do with other things, including trade.”
Said
, Interview on Fox News Sunday
Subject
Taiwan and One China policy
Threat
Economic and military
Topic
Foreign policy
Era
2016 campaign

What the record showed

In the same interview he said the U.S. was 'being hurt very badly by China with devaluation,' with border taxes and 'with building a massive fortress in the middle of the South China Sea.' In a phone call with Xi Jinping on February 9, 2017, he agreed to honour the 'One China' policy, the White House said. Al Jazeera reported during Xi's state visit to Washington in September 2026 that a $14 billion U.S. arms deal with Taiwan remained on hold.

Sources

  1. Trump Says U.S. Not Necessarily Bound by "One China" Policy Fortune (Reuters), Dec 11, 2016
  2. Donald Trump questions 'one China' policy Al Jazeera, Dec 12, 2016
  3. Trump agrees to honour 'One China' policy despite threats BBC News, Feb 10, 2017
  4. From 'cheats' to 'great friendship': How Trump's rhetoric on China changed Al Jazeera, Sep 25, 2026