Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) asserted to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the U.S. was trying to incite an attack on Taiwan, and that he would not fall for the ruse. Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry responded to the claims reported in a recent Financial Times article this Tuesday.
In the report, Xi told von der Leyen in April last year his stance and claims on U.S. maneuverings, adding that a conflict with the U.S. would not only destroy China’s many achievements, but would also derail his goal of achieving “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” by 2049.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry responded to media inquiries on the matter on Tuesday. North American Affairs Director General Wang Liang-Yu (王良玉) says that Taiwan has long discussed with the U.S. and other like-minded countries how to jointly maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, emphasizing Taiwan's commitment to upholding the status quo.
In response to Xi’s alleged comments, U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller refuted Xi’s characterization of the nation. He says that the U.S. has made clear that it has not changed its One China policy, reaffirming the same to Chinese officials. He also underscored that the U.S. continues to urge stability across the Taiwan Strait.