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

US President Donald Trump said in remarks aired Friday that he wants Taiwan and China to "cool down" amid tensions between the two sides, while signaling uncertainty about 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 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 was also asked if the Taiwanese should "feel more or less secure" after he met Chinese President Xi Jinping, and he responded, "neutral."

"We talked a whole night about that issue," he said, noting that it dominated the talks as he described it as "the most important thing" for the Chinese president.

"Now with me, I don't think they'll do anything when I'm here. When I'm not here, I think they might," he added.

The US president also expressed a desire for Taiwanese chip companies to move to the US. "We have massive amounts of chip companies now from Taiwan already coming in," he said. "We expect to have 40 to 50% of the world's chip business by the end of my term.”

Arguing that Taiwan developed due to US presidents "that didn't know what the hell they were doing," and backed the idea of putting tariffs on chips coming in from Taipei.

"Everything was about our chip companies. They stole our chip industry," he said.

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

Xi 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.

In a related development, Taiwan on Saturday said that it is a "sovereign and independent democratic nation, and is not subordinate to the People's Republic of China."

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said that Beijing has "no right to make claims" about Taiwan.

Taiwan's Presidential Office noted Saturday the "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," Taipei-based Central News Agency reported.

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.