Biden-Xi talks: US says opposed to ‘unilateral effort’ to change Taiwan
(BBC) US president Joe Biden told his counterpart Xi Jinping that the US is strongly opposed to “unilateral efforts” to change the status quo or undermine peace across Taiwan.
The two leaders have concluded their first first-to face virtual summit.
Mr Biden and Mr Xi also discussed controversial issues like China’s practices in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
These are the most substantial discussions both leaders have had since Mr Biden took office in January.
Meanwhile, according to Reuters quoting Chinese state media, Mr Xi issued a warning to Mr Biden that US support for Taiwanese independence was like “playing with fire…. and those who play with fire will get burned”.
“President Biden underscored that the United States remains committed to the ‘One China’ policy,” said a White House statement released after the meeting ended.
“[It] strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
The One China policy is a key cornerstone of Sino-US relations. Under this, the US recognises and has formal ties with China rather than the island of Taiwan, which China sees as a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland one day.
However, the US also adheres to the Taiwan Relations Act, which states that it must help Taiwan defend itself in the event of an attack.
Mr Biden said last month that the US would defend Taiwan if China were to attack the island, in an apparent departure from a long-held US foreign policy position of “strategic ambiguity” which has seen Washington being deliberately vague about what it would actually do.