Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly rejected remarks made by Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding Taiwan during his state visit to the United States, accusing Beijing of distorting facts to advance its positions and claims as leaders met at the White House.
Diplomatic Friction at the White House
The diplomatic pushback from Taipei follows a closed-door meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday. According to a Chinese Foreign Ministry readout issued after the discussions, Xi stated that Beijing’s position on safeguarding national unification and territorial integrity was clear.
The Chinese readout added that Beijing hopes the United States will uphold the correct position of opposing ‘Taiwan independence’ and handle the Taiwan question prudently. However, the White House had not issued its own official readout of the high-level meeting as of Thursday night U.S. time.
Taipei Counters Beijing’s Narrative
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs fired back swiftly on Friday. The ministry declared that the Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name, and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, maintaining that Taiwan’s sovereignty belongs to its people.
MOFA explicitly accused the Chinese government of deploying its usual tactic of distorting facts to unilaterally convey its positions and claims.
The ministry emphasized that Taiwan’s future can only be decided jointly by the people of Taiwan through democratic means. To reinforce its diplomatic standing, MOFA pointed out that more than 60 bipartisan U.S. senators and representatives had voiced support for Taiwan.
International Partnerships and Regional Stability
The foreign ministry stated that Taiwan will continue working closely with the United States and other like-minded partners to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
The ongoing three-day state visit, running from September 23 to 25 (U.S. time), marks a notable moment in U.S.-China bilateral diplomacy. It is Xi Jinping’s first trip to the White House in 11 years and his second meeting with Trump this year, following their summit held in Beijing in May.
| Event Detail | Recorded Fact |
|---|---|
| Date of White House Meeting | Thursday (Washington time) |
| Duration of U.S. State Visit | September 23 to 25 |
| Significance of Xi’s Visit | First trip to the White House in 11 years |
| Prior Summit Location | Beijing (May summit) |
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