Taiwan thanks US for support ahead of further Trump-Xi talks

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TAIPEI – Taiwan thanked the US on May 15 for expressing its support and commitment to peace and stability and for reaffirming its Taiwan policy has not changed, ahead of the second day of US President Donald Trump’s state visit to China.

The US is Chinese-claimed Taiwan’s most important international backer and is bound by law to provide it with the means to defend itself. China has demanded that such arms sales stop.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 14 confirmed the issue of democratically governed Taiwan had come up in Mr Trump’s talks with President Xi Jinping but that US policy towards the island is unchanged.

In a statement released by his ministry, Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung thanked the US for repeatedly expressing its support for and emphasis on peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and for reaffirming its Taiwan policy has not changed.

The ministry added that China’s military continues to operate around Taiwan carrying out “harassment and intimidation”.

This “demonstrates that Beijing is a major risk to current regional peace and stability”, it said.

Mr Xi told Mr Trump on May 14 that mishandling the countries’ disagreements over Taiwan could push China-US relations to a “dangerous place”.

Mr Rubio told NBC that it would be a “terrible mistake” for China to use force over Taiwan.

Responding on his X account to Mr Rubio late that same day, Mr Joseph Wu, secretary-general of Taiwan’s National Security Council, agreed with that sentiment.

“We’re determined to defend the status quo; deter aggression,” Mr Wu wrote.

China’s daily military activities around Taiwan have not ceased.

On the morning of May 15, in its daily update on Chinese deployments in the previous 24 hours, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said there were seven warships present, though no aircraft.

Mr Trump leaves for home in afternoon of May 15 after having tea and lunch with Mr Xi. REUTERS