Taiwan Reaffirms Sovereignty Amid US-China Tensions Over Independence

Taiwan expresses commitment to maintaining 'status quo' and contributing to regional peace

Taipei, May 17

"It is an undeniable fact that the Republic of China is a sovereign and independent democratic nation," Taiwan's Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo reiterated, adding that China has no right to claim sovereignty over Taiwan, Taipei Times reported.

The Presidential Office's statement came after US President Donald Trump warned against Taiwan's independence.

Recently, Trump was on a state visit to Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping told him not to support Taiwan.

Trump said he and Xi "talked a lot" regarding Taiwan and the Chinese President "does not want to see a fight for independence, because that would be a very strong confrontation," Taipei Times reported.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said that he wants China and Taiwan to cool down.

When asked whether the people of Taiwan should feel more or less secure following his meeting with Xi, Trump said, "Neutral. This has been going on for years," stressing that US policy about Taiwan has not changed.

"Nothing's changed. I will say this: I'm not looking to have somebody go independent. And, you know, we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I'm not looking for that. I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down," Trump told Fox News.

Notably, Taiwan relies heavily on security support from the US to deter China from carrying out attack on Taipei.

China maintains that Taiwan is a part of its territory and needs to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. Despite China's efforts, Taiwan, backed by strong public support, continues to assert its sovereignty and responds to China's incursions.

During his talks with Trump in Beijing on Thursday, Xi Jinping said that the US-China ties will have overall stability if the Taiwan issue is handled properly.

The statement released by Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "President Xi stressed that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations. If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy. 'Taiwan independence' and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water."

During the meeting, Xi termed safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait "the biggest common denominator between China and the US." He stated that the US side must exercise extra caution in handling the Taiwan issue.

— IANS