Xi Says US Should Oppose Taiwan Independence, Xinhua Reports

Chinese President Xi Jinping said he hopes the United States will oppose Taiwan's independence, according to a report by China's Xinhua news agency carried by TASS.

Xi reportedly noted that the United States should exercise caution regarding the Taiwan issue, a subject that remains one of the most sensitive points of contention in the broader US-China relationship. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has consistently pressed other governments, including Washington, to avoid actions it views as encouraging the island's formal independence.

A recurring point of friction

The Taiwan issue has long been a central and recurring theme in high-level exchanges between Chinese and American leaders, with Beijing routinely urging Washington to adhere to a "one-China" policy and to limit official contacts and arms sales to Taipei. Washington, for its part, maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan and has continued to provide it with defense-related support, while officially not endorsing formal independence.

Xi's remarks, as relayed by Xinhua, did not include additional specifics on the context in which the comments were made, such as whether they occurred during a bilateral meeting, phone call, or another diplomatic exchange. TASS's report did not add further detail beyond citing the original Xinhua dispatch.

The comments come against a backdrop of continued strategic competition between the US and China across trade, technology and security domains, with Taiwan remaining one of the most closely watched flashpoints in the relationship.