During a two-hour-long video call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Friday, United States (US) President Joe Biden said that despite providing diplomatic support and military aid to Taiwan, the US does not support Taipei’s independence movement.
According to a press release by the Chinese foreign ministry, Biden reiterated that “the US does not seek a new Cold War with China” nor “aim to change China’s system.” “The US does not support “Taiwan independence”; and it has no intention to seek a conflict with China,” Biden said. “The US is ready to have closer cooperation with China, stay committed to the one-China policy, and effectively manage competition and disagreements to ensure the steady growth of the relationship,” the US President assured Xi.
President Biden spoke today with President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China about Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/SnpgobFiPz
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 18, 2022
“I take these remarks very seriously,” responded Xi. The Chinese leader further noted that “some people in the US have sent a wrong signal to “Taiwan independence” forces,” which “is very dangerous.” “Mishandling of the Taiwan question will have a disruptive impact on the bilateral ties. The US has misperceived and miscalculated China’s strategic intention,” Xi warned his counterpart. He also expressed concern that “some people on the US side have not followed through on the important common understanding reached by the two Presidents and have not acted on President Biden’s positive statements.”
Meanwhile, an official release by the White House was more guarded on the US’ apparent support for the ‘One China’ policy and simply stated that Biden reiterated that Washington’s “policy on Taiwan has not changed.” Moreover, the statement also hinted that military and economic support to Taiwan will continue by saying that the US “continues to oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo.”
President Biden, who just passed me in the West Wing, tells me his nearly two hour call with President Xi “went well.”
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) March 18, 2022
Beijing considers the self-governing island to be a breakaway province and has previously warned that reunification is only a matter of time and could be achieved via force if necessary. It is the most sensitive and important issue in Beijing’s relations with Washington.
In fact, only hours prior to the high profile meeting, both countries’ defence ministries said that Chinese as well as US warships had sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait. Taiwan also sent warships to track the situation. While the acts were called “provocative” and “dangerous,” they did not result in further escalation.
U.S. President Joe Biden warned Chinese leader Xi Jinping of 'consequences' if Beijing gave material support to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the White House said, while both sides stressed the need for a diplomatic solution to the crisis https://t.co/XvtabK42i2 pic.twitter.com/3FEnr2DaP1
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 19, 2022
Apart from this, the two leaders also discussed the conflict in Ukraine. Biden and Xi both detailed their efforts to respond to the invasion. Biden outlined the US’ sanctions on Russia and described “the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia as it conducts brutal attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians.”
However, Xi dismissed the West’s practice of imposing sanctions, arguing that “sweeping and indiscriminate sanctions would only make the people suffer. If further escalated, they could trigger serious crises in global economy and trade, finance, energy, food, and industrial and supply chains, crippling the already languishing world economy and causing irrevocable losses.”
⚡️ Xi tells Biden war in Ukraine in no-one's interest.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 18, 2022
Reuters cites Chinese state-owned media outlets saying that Xi Jinping supported peace in Ukraine.
According to the report, Xi told his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden that the two countries must make an effort for world peace.
Both leaders underscored their support for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. Xi suggested that the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) should also have a dialogue with Russia “to address the crux of the Ukraine crisis and ease the security concerns of both Russia and Ukraine.” “An enduring solution,” Xi suggested, “would be for major countries to respect each other, reject the Cold War mentality, refrain from bloc confrontation, and build step by step a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture for the region and for the world.”
In parallel news, a Chinese company called Space Transportation is reportedly developing a supersonic jet capable of travelling from New York to China in just one hour. The US’ defence establishment has in recent months become concerned about China achieving technological feats that the US has not been able to match. For instance, China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic weapon system in October, General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Pentagon’s joint chiefs of staff, said the US has not conducted a hypersonic weapon test of the level China achieved.