WASHINGTON: Chinese President Xi Jinping asked US President Joe Biden last year to change the language the United States uses when discussing its position on Taiwanese independence, according to two US officials familiar with the private conversation.
US President Joe Biden waves as he walks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Filoli estate on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, in Woodside, California, on Nov 15, 2023.
Xi's aides have repeatedly followed up and made the requests in the months since, according to two US officials and another person familiar with the exchanges.The White House responded to a request for comment with a statement that repeated the line that Washington does not support Taiwan independence."The Biden-Harris administration has been consistent on our long-standing One China policy," the statement read.
The Republic of China remains Taiwan's formal name and the government says it has no plans to change that given they are already a sovereign, independent state and Beijing hasFor several years, Chinese diplomats have pushed the United States to make changes to how it refers to Taiwan's status, which remains the most sensitive area in US-China relations. The unusually direct and renewed push at the leader level has not been reported previously.
Leaders in Beijing"would love it if Joe Biden said very different things about Taiwan than he says, no doubt", said one senior Biden administration official, adding that Biden would stick with the standard US formulation for talking about Taiwan independence. Opinion polls in Taiwan show most people support maintaining the status quo, neither seeking to join with China nor establishing a new state.
Taiwan Joe Biden United States Xi Jinping
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Beijing accuses Taiwan President Lai Ching-te of undermining peace in Taiwan StraitPolitical watchers say there is little that the Taiwanese President could say that would change Beijing’s view of him.
Read more »
'Impossible' for People's Republic of China to be our motherland, Taiwan president saysTAIPEI - It is 'impossible' for the People's Republic of China to become Taiwan's motherland because Taiwan has older political roots, the island's President Lai Ching-te said on Oct 5. Mr Lai, who took office in May, is condemned by Beijing as a 'separatist'.
Read more »
‘Impossible’ for People’s Republic of China to be our motherland, Taiwan president saysPresident Lai Ching-te, who took office in May, rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
Read more »
China likely to launch military drills around Taiwan after president's national speech, sources sayTAIPEI: China is likely to launch military drills this week near Taiwan, using Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's upcoming National Day speech as a pretext to pressure the island to accept its sovereignty claims, Taiwanese officials say.
Read more »
China likely to launch military drills near Taiwan after president’s national speech: SourcesTaiwan President Lai Ching-te will deliver a key speech on Oct 10.
Read more »
China threatens Taiwan with more trade measures after denouncing president's speechBEIJING: China is studying further trade measures against Taiwan, the Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday (Oct 12), two days after Beijing slammed a speech by Taiwan President Lai Ching-Te.
Read more »