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Xi-Biden summit: US and China stress need for status quo on Taiwan
- Chinese president warns of ‘drastic action’ in response to provocation from Taiwanese independence forces
- Biden stresses US opposition to unilateral efforts to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait
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Taiwan was in sharp focus at the Xi-Biden summit, with both leaders stressing publicly for the first time the need to retain the status quo.
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While Washington underlined its opposition to unilateral change to the status quo over the Taiwan Strait, Beijing also reiterated that it would pursue peaceful reunification with the self-ruled island “with the greatest effort”.
But in the 3½ hours of discussions, Chinese President Xi Jinping said “drastic action” could result if Taiwanese independence forces continued to provoke.
He said China was “patient” and sought peaceful reunification with sincerity, but “if Taiwanese independence separatist forces provoke or even break through the ‘red line’, we will have no alternative but to take drastic measures”.
The talks between Xi and US President Joe Biden took place early on Tuesday Beijing time after several months of rising tensions between Beijing and Washington over the island.
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Xi said Taiwanese authorities had repeatedly sought to use the United States to seek independence and some people in the United States intended to use Taiwan to contain China.
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