US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Taiwan following his recent visit to China, cautioning against any move toward formal independence and reigniting tensions over one of the world's most sensitive geopolitical flashpoints.

Trump's comments triggered concern and uncertainty in Taiwan, where officials stressed that the island is already a sovereign entity under its official name, the Republic of China. According to William Yang, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group in Taipei, the Taiwanese leadership has consistently avoided any formal declaration of independence, aware that such a move could provoke a severe military response from China. "… it is essentially a consensus across the board that doing so would really create a potentially catastrophic conflict," Yang told DW.

Trump's remarks follow discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping that reportedly included the sensitive issue of US arms sales to Taiwan.