Taipei, May 13 -- The US Department of State has clarified that President Donald Trump's recent use of the term "unification" was not a reference to Taiwan, amid concerns the comment could signal a shift in Washington's long-standing position on cross-strait relations, Taipei Times reported.

Trump made the remark during a press conference while discussing outcomes of US-China trade talks held over the weekend in Geneva.

Speaking on the potential benefits of the agreement, he stated, "They've agreed to open China -- fully open China. And I think it's going to be fantastic for China. I think it's going to be fantastic for us. I think it's going to be great for unification and peace."

His use of the word "unification," a term typically as...