Taiwan's foreign ministry declared the island a "sovereign and independent democratic nation" on Saturday, stating that it is "not subordinate to the People's Republic of China.” The statement came hours after President Donald Trump, wrapping up a two-day state visit to Beijing, told Fox News he opposes Taiwan pursuing formal independence, described a pending $14 billion arms package as a "very good negotiating chip," and repeated his claim that Taiwan "stole" the U.S. semiconductor industry. Trump said he wants 40% to 50% of global chip production on American soil by the end of his term.Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump delivered notably different messages about Taiwan within the same 24-hour period. Rubio told NBC News late Thursday that U.S. policy is "unchanged as of today," warned it would be "a terrible mistake" for China to use force, and said there would be global "repercussions" if Beijing moved militarily.Chinese President Xi Jinping had opened the summit by warning that mishandling the Taiwan issue could lead to "clashes and even conflicts.” Trump, meanwhile, has previously called Taiwan’s semiconductor dominance a form of theft, and on Friday, he reiterated that he wanted all of the island's chipmakers to move to the United States.Taiwan's Presidential Office highlighted "multiple reaffirmations" from both Trump and Rubio that U.S. policy remains unchanged, with spokeswoman Karen Kuo saying Taipei looks forward to continued cooperation "under the firm commitments of the Taiwan Relations Act.” The foreign ministry separately called arms sales a form of "joint deterrence against regional threats."Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.