Panic in Taiwan as Donald Trump suggests what he'd do if China invaded

Donald Trump sent shockwaves through Taiwan as he hinted at what his approach towards the country and the threats it faces from China would be if he is re-elected as US President.

Recent remarks by the 77-year-old, who is running as the Republican candidate in the November presidential elections, have caused "quite a stir" in Taiwan, according to Tony Hu, a former senior Taiwan country director at the Pentagon now based in Taipei.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Mr Trump said Taiwan should "pay us for defence" before sensationally claiming the island "doesn't give us anything".

The Republican candidate also argued China has a "slight advantage" over Taipei, being so much closer than the US to the self-governing territory that the Chinese army could simply shell it without even using long-range missiles.

These remarks, seen by some as a suggestion Mr Trump believes it futile to try and defend the island from potential Chinese aggression, were paired with an attack on Taiwan's semiconductor industry, as he claimed the island "did take about 100 percent of our chip business".

This led some to believe Mr Trump could use the self-governing island as a bargaining chip with China.

Mr Hu told Politico: "We should be very concerned. Trump thinks like a businessman, even in terms of US national security and global geopolitics."

Jason Hsu, former legislator-at-large for Taiwan’s opposition KMT party and currently a Mason Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, warned the island could be facing a "period of painful adjustment" if Mr Trump returns to the White House.

The claim from the former US President that Taipei should pay Washington for protection from China prompted a response from the island's premier Cho Jung-tai, who said the US and Taiwan have good relations despite the lack of formal ties - due to the States "acknowledging" the One China position held by Beijing.

He added: "Taiwan and the US share a common responsibility for the Indo-Pacific region of the Taiwan Strait, and we are willing to do more to defend ourselves and protect our security."

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller also responded to the former US president's claim on Taiwan's defence, saying: "I will point out that Taiwan has been paying for its own defence.

"Taiwan has been purchasing military equipment from the United States to the tune of billions of dollars, and the military equipment that they have purchased supports American manufacturing, supports American industry, supports American technology.

"So the purchases that they have made are not only important, we believe, to regional security, but are important to the United States economy."

Moreover, Mr Trump presented his claim on the States' semiconductor industry without evidence. Chris Miller, author of "Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology" noted that much of the chip industry for smartphones and AI applications did not exist at the current scale before Taiwan made it a prominent share of its economy - with more than 90 percent of advanced microchips being produced on the island, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association.

Fears that, if elected, Mr Trump would not support Taiwan in case of an attack from China come as Beijing has become increasingly aggressive towards the island.

Beijing has long spoken of a "peaceful reunification", but in recent years it has carried out threatening moves including flying fighter jets near the territory.

Another way in which China flexes its military muscles is by increasingly sailing its warships and aircraft carriers through the Taiwan Strait.