Taiwan has rejected Chinese President Xi Jinping’s remarks to US President Donald Trump about the island’s future, calling them a “distortion of the facts” and insisting that any decision about Taiwan’s destiny belongs solely to its people.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory. President Lai Ching-te and his administration firmly reject that claim.
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During talks with Mr Trump in Washington yesterday, Mr Xi said China’s position on protecting national “reunification” and territorial integrity was unambiguous. He also urged the US to maintain what he called the “correct position” of opposing Taiwan independence.
Mr Xi’s comments reflected “the consistent Chinese approach of distorting facts and unilaterally conveying its position and claims”, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Although Washington and Taipei do not have formal diplomatic relations, the US remains Taiwan’s most important international supporter and its leading arms supplier.
After meeting Mr Xi in Beijing, Mr Trump said in May that he had put a planned new arms sale to Taiwan on hold, describing the package as a “good bargaining chip”.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry said China was the “true disruptor” of peace and stability in the region, citing Beijing’s military pressure around the island and across the east and south China Seas.
It said Taiwan would continue working closely with the United States and other like-minded partners to help preserve peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
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