BEIJING, May 16 — US President Donald Trump yesterday warned Taiwan against declaring formal independence after concluding his visit to China, whose leader Xi Jinping had pressed him not to support the self-ruling island.

Trump ended the state visit claiming to have made “fantastic” trade deals, although the details were vague, and he did not appear to secure any breakthrough with China over his stalemated war on Iran.

Trump invited Xi for a reciprocal visit to Washington in September, signalling both sides will likely seek stability in the often turbulent relationship between the world’s two largest economies.

On a key issue for Xi, Trump made clear he opposed a declaration of independence by Taiwan and appeared to question why the US would defend the island in case of attack.

“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 told Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier.”

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

“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 US recognizes only Beijing and does not support formal independence by Taiwan, but historically has stopped short of explicitly saying it opposes independence.

Under US law, the US is required to provide weapons to Taiwan for its defence, but it has been ambiguous on whether US forces would come to the island’s aid.

Xi had begun the summit with a warning on Taiwan, whose President Lai Ching-te considers the island already independent, making a declaration unnecessary.

Xi told Trump that missteps on the sensitive issue could cause “conflict”.

Referring to comments by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said US policy toward Taipei was unchanged, Taiwan’s foreign ministry thanked the US for showing “it supports and values Taiwan Strait peace and stability”.

No details on ‘fantastic’ deals 

Yesterday, Boeing confirmed that China had made an “initial commitment” to buy 200 aircraft, a deal previously announced by Trump. The company said more orders could follow.

Trump also said Beijing would buy American oil and soybeans.

“We’ve made some fantastic trade deals, great for both countries,” he said after a walk with Xi in the gardens of Zhongnanhai, a central leadership compound next to Beijing’s Forbidden City.

“We’ve settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn’t have been able to solve,” Trump added, without providing specifics.

Xi promised to send Trump rose seeds for the White House Rose Garden and said it was a “milestone visit”.

But beyond Boeing, there were no other formal announcements from companies or from China on trade deals.

The reserve on the Chinese side echoes the tone of the summit as a whole, where Trump’s overtures to Xi — whom he described as a “great leader” and “friend” — were met with a more muted response.

“Trump got the optics he was looking for and the Chinese were happy to give them to him,” said Jacob Stokes, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

Little on Iran 

Trump had delayed the trip once due to the war in Iran, which has rebuffed his appeals for a peace agreement and retaliated by exerting control over the key Strait of Hormuz, sending global oil prices soaring.

Trump said Xi had assured him that China was not preparing military aid to Iran. Israel has alleged that Beijing has provided key missile technology to Tehran.

The Chinese foreign ministry yesterday released a statement on Iran saying “shipping lanes should be reopened as soon as possible”.

Trump also acknowledged that he could not persuade Xi to free Jimmy Lai, the imprisoned Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon whose cause is broadly backed in Washington.

“He told me, Jimmy Lai is a tough one for him to do,” Trump told reporters.

Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the German Marshall Fund’s Indo-Pacific program, noted that Trump had already sounded half-hearted in his public comments on Lai.

“My sense is that the Chinese see that this is not a top priority for the US,” she said.

“What Trump seems to want most is purchases of American products — that appears to be his highest priority.”

The two leaders had been expected to discuss extending the one-year tariff truce that paused their frenetic 2025 trade war, struck during their last meeting in October.

But Trump told reporters on the way home that it “wasn’t brought up”. — AFP

TAIPEI, May 15 — A New Zealand passenger from the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius cruise ship is in hospital quarantine in Taiwan, Taiwanese health authorities said today.

The person, who has tested negative for the rare disease and is showing no symptoms, arrived in Taiwan on May 7 after disembarking from the cruise ship in Saint Helena on April 24.

New Zealand authorities told Taiwan’s Centres for Disease Control (CDC) on Wednesday that the person was in Taiwan, CDC spokeswoman Tseng Shu-hui said.

The person was admitted to hospital the same day and will remain there until June 6, Tseng told AFP.

Tseng declined to provide details about the person’s age, gender or current location in Taiwan.

“At present, we believe their probability of developing the disease is relatively low,” Tseng said.

“Their last exposure with the other passengers was on the 25th (of April), which is about 20 days ago.”

The virus has a potential incubation period of 42 days.

CDC director-general Lo Yi-chun told reporters that the person did not return to New Zealand after leaving the cruise ship, but he would not provide information on the route they took to Taiwan.

A spokesperson for New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said it is “providing consular assistance to a dual national” in Taiwan.

“The person resides outside New Zealand and sought help from MFAT on Wednesday 13 May,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ship set sail from Argentina on April 1, charting a course across the Atlantic Ocean.

Health authorities have repeatedly emphasised that the broader risk to public health from the outbreak of the Andes strain of hantavirus — the only one known to spread between people — is low.

Globally, the death toll remains at three.

No vaccines or specific treatments exist, but health officials have said the risk is low and have dismissed comparisons to the Covid-19 pandemic. — AFP

Manuel Gual posted a photo:

Echoes of the Past: A Cinematic Tribute to Vanishing Trades
This collection captures a series of traditional, nearly extinct professions that once defined the soul of rural and ancestral life. From the solitary shepherd guarding his flock on the mountain ridge to the rhythmic, tactile work of the potter and the basket weaver, each scene is a visual poem dedicated to the dignity of manual labor.

The aesthetic is characterized by a masterful use of golden hour light, which emphasizes the textures of weathered stone, sun-drenched wheat fields, and the earthy dust of ancient paths. These images offer a nostalgic yet realistic look at a world where time was measured by the seasons and the steady pace of human hands. It is a tribute to the heritage, resilience, and the profound connection between humanity and the natural environment.

Note: These images have been generated by Artificial Intelligence.

Manuel Gual posted a photo:

Echoes of the Past: A Cinematic Tribute to Vanishing Trades
This collection captures a series of traditional, nearly extinct professions that once defined the soul of rural and ancestral life. From the solitary shepherd guarding his flock on the mountain ridge to the rhythmic, tactile work of the potter and the basket weaver, each scene is a visual poem dedicated to the dignity of manual labor.

The aesthetic is characterized by a masterful use of golden hour light, which emphasizes the textures of weathered stone, sun-drenched wheat fields, and the earthy dust of ancient paths. These images offer a nostalgic yet realistic look at a world where time was measured by the seasons and the steady pace of human hands. It is a tribute to the heritage, resilience, and the profound connection between humanity and the natural environment.

Note: These images have been generated by Artificial Intelligence.

Manuel Gual posted a photo:

Echoes of the Past: A Cinematic Tribute to Vanishing Trades
This collection captures a series of traditional, nearly extinct professions that once defined the soul of rural and ancestral life. From the solitary shepherd guarding his flock on the mountain ridge to the rhythmic, tactile work of the potter and the basket weaver, each scene is a visual poem dedicated to the dignity of manual labor.

The aesthetic is characterized by a masterful use of golden hour light, which emphasizes the textures of weathered stone, sun-drenched wheat fields, and the earthy dust of ancient paths. These images offer a nostalgic yet realistic look at a world where time was measured by the seasons and the steady pace of human hands. It is a tribute to the heritage, resilience, and the profound connection between humanity and the natural environment.

Note: These images have been generated by Artificial Intelligence.