Chinese President Xi Jinping said maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait is the “common responsibility” of both sides, while warning that “Taiwan independence” is a “dead end.”
In a phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday, Xi said the Taiwan Strait is “not an international waterway” and that sending U.S. warships through the strait is “not in the interests of the United States or regional peace and stability.”
The call came a day after the U.S. Navy sailed two guided-missile destroyers through the Taiwan Strait in a “freedom of navigation operation.” The U.S. Navy said the operation was conducted “in accordance with international law” and that the ships “transited through the Taiwan Strait without incident.”
China has long claimed sovereignty over Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing views as a breakaway province. The U.S. has never formally recognized Taiwan as an independent country, but it has long maintained a policy of “strategic ambiguity” toward the island, which includes providing Taiwan with defensive weapons and conducting joint military exercises with the island’s armed forces.
In recent years, China has increased its military presence in the Taiwan Strait and has conducted a number of military exercises near the island. The U.S. has also increased its military presence in the region, and the two countries have been engaged in a war of words over Taiwan.
In the phone call with Biden, Xi said China is “firmly opposed” to any “external forces” interfering in the Taiwan Strait. He also said that China will “take all necessary measures” to protect its “sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Biden told Xi that the U.S. is committed to its “one China” policy, which means that the U.S. recognizes only one Chinese government, with Taiwan being a part of China. Biden also said that the U.S. is committed to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
The phone call between Xi and Biden was the first since Biden took office in January. The two leaders also discussed a number of other issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and trade.
The phone call came at a time of heightened tensions between the U.S. and China. The two countries have been at odds over a number of issues, including trade, human rights, and the South China Sea.
The Taiwan Strait is a crucial waterway for international shipping. It is also a potential flashpoint for conflict between the U.S. and China.
The U.S. Navy regularly conducts freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait. These operations are designed to show that the U.S. does not recognize China’s claim to sovereignty over the strait.
China has warned that it will take “all necessary measures” to protect its “sovereignty and territorial integrity” in the Taiwan Strait. This includes the possibility of using military force.
The U.S. and China have been engaged in a war of words over Taiwan for several years. The phone call between Xi and Biden was the latest in a series of high-level exchanges between the two countries on this issue.
It remains to be seen whether the U.S. and China can find a way to resolve their differences over Taiwan. The situation is complex and there is no easy solution. However, the phone call between Xi and Biden was a positive step and it is hoped that it will lead to further dialogue and cooperation between the two countries.
Additional reporting by The Associated Press.
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China’s Xi Warns of ‘Dangerous’ Taiwan Strait as US Navy Sails Through
