TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday said China's press release about a call between the Chinese and US leaders deliberately distorted Taiwan's sovereign status.
US President Donald Trump spoke with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday for the first time since returning to the White House on Jan. 20, per CNA. In a post on social media afterward, Trump made no mention of Taiwan, instead focusing on the US-China trade deal and rare earth minerals.
China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that Xi said the US should handle the Taiwan issue with caution and avoid letting “fringe separatists bent on ‘Taiwan independence’” drag China and the US into a dangerous confrontation. Xi also claimed that Trump said the US would continue to adhere to the “one China” policy.
The foreign ministry told CNA that while the primary focus of the phone call was US-China trade issues, Beijing's press release “deliberately and unilaterally distorted Taiwan's sovereign status.”
The ministry added that this is a tactic Beijing has repeatedly used in its recent interactions with various countries. In contrast, the foreign ministry said it has always been committed to creating regional prosperity with partner countries and maintaining the peaceful status quo in the Taiwan Strait.
The ministry added that Taiwan will continue to deepen the close Taiwan-US partnership in areas such as security and trade.
