Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has firmly rejected Chinese President Xi Jinping's assertion that Taiwan independence is incompatible with peace in the Taiwan Strait, countering that Beijing's continued military operations represent the region's only real source of instability.
The statement was issued within hours of Xi's remarks during his roughly two-hour-and-15-minute summit with U.S. President Donald Trump at Beijing's Great Hall of the People on the morning of May 14. According to Chinese state media, Xi described the Taiwan issue as "the most important question in China-U.S. relations," warning that mishandling it could push bilateral ties toward confrontation and "a highly dangerous situation." He added that preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait represented the greatest common interest for both countries.
Xi's Stark Warning at the Beijing Summit
Trump arrived in the Chinese capital on the evening of May 13 for a three-day state visit, receiving higher-level protocol than during his 2017 state visit, with Vice President Han Zheng leading the official welcome. The American delegation included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Xi's comments, carried by Xinhua, framed cross-strait stability as the key to overall U.S.-China relations while placing the onus for calm squarely on Washington.
Taipei's Swift Rebuttal
Taiwan's Foreign Ministry responded within an hour of the Chinese readout, rejecting Beijing's characterization of the status quo. "Taiwan is committed to maintaining the status quo and ensuring the security of the Taiwan Strait is not threatened or undermined," the ministry said. It identified China's repeated provocative operations across the East China Sea, South China Sea and waters surrounding Taiwan as the sole source of regional instability.
Military Activity Cited as Evidence
Citing the latest figures from Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, the statement noted that, as on the morning of May 14, Taiwanese forces had tracked three Chinese military aircraft sorties and six naval vessels operating near the strait. Taiwan's military continues to monitor the situation closely with aircraft, ships, and shore-based missile systems.
Sovereignty and Regional Stability Reaffirmed
The ministry also reiterated a core position in Taiwan's foreign policy: the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, and Beijing has no authority to represent Taiwan in any international forum. It described the People's Liberation Army's gray-zone activities along the First Island Chain as clear evidence that Beijing — not Taipei — is the real threat to peace and stability in the region.
Taiwan, the statement concluded, will continue to work closely with the United States and other like-minded democracies to safeguard peace, stability, freedom, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific.
What Comes Next in the Trump-Xi Visit
Later Wednesday, the two leaders are scheduled to visit the Temple of Heaven together before attending a state banquet hosted by Xi. On Thursday, they will hold a working lunch and tea session before Trump's delegation returns to Washington.
While the summit agenda also covered trade and broader bilateral matters, Xi's emphasis on Taiwan — and Taipei's immediate, unambiguous counter-statement — underscores how the
The cross-strait issue remains central to every dimension of U.S.-China engagement.
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