16-11-2023 (SAN FRANCISCO) In a high-level meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden, Xi made a clear demand for the United States to “stop arming Taiwan” and emphasized that China’s reunification with the self-ruled island was inevitable and unstoppable. This statement was relayed by Beijing on Thursday, shedding light on the contentious issue at the core of US-China relations.
According to a readout from China’s foreign ministry, Xi conveyed to Biden that the US should halt its military support for Taiwan and instead support China’s peaceful reunification efforts. Xi firmly asserted that China will achieve reunification with Taiwan, emphasizing the determined trajectory of this outcome.
In response, a senior US official revealed that Biden, in their talks on Wednesday, urged Xi to respect the upcoming elections in Taiwan, a vibrant democracy that Beijing claims as part of its territory. “We asked the Chinese to respect the electoral process in Taiwan,” the official stated.
During their extensive four-hour meeting, Xi emphasized to Biden that Taiwan represents the most significant and potentially dangerous issue in the US-China relationship, as conveyed by the senior US official. Xi reportedly expressed China’s preference for a peaceful reunification with Taiwan, but also alluded to circumstances in which the use of force could be employed.
The official clarified that Xi’s intention was to convey that China is not currently preparing for an all-out invasion of Taiwan, but this stance does not alter the United States’ approach to the matter. “President Xi … underscored that this was the biggest, most potentially dangerous issue in US-China relations, laid out clearly that, you know, their preference was for peaceful reunification but then moved immediately to conditions that the potential use of force could be utilized,” the senior US official explained, referring to Xi’s comments on Taiwan.
The dialogue between Xi and Biden highlighted the complex and delicate nature of the Taiwan issue, which remains a significant point of contention between the two global powers. The reunification or independence of Taiwan continues to shape the dynamics of US-China relations and has far-reaching implications for regional stability in East Asia.
