Trump spoke out on the US position regarding Taiwan's independence

US President Donald Trump has warned Taiwan against attempting to seek formal recognition of its independence.

He stated that he does not want Taipei to try to enlist the help of the United States on this matter.

"We're not looking for wars. If you leave things as they are, I think China will be fine with that. But we don't want someone saying: 'Let's declare independence because the States have our back,'" Trump said in an interview with Fox News.

At the same time, Trump refused to confirm whether he would sign a $14 billion military aid package for Taiwan. American lawmakers had provisionally approved it last year, but the White House has yet to move it forward.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had taken note of the president's remarks regarding the island, Reuters reports. They emphasized that the sale of American weapons is a US security commitment explicitly stipulated in the Taiwan Relations Act.