News Brief
Nayan Dwivedi
Dec 21, 2023, 10:42 AM | Updated 10:42 AM IST
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Chinese President Xi Jinping has issued a direct warning to US President Joe Biden, stating that China plans to reunify Taiwan with the mainland.
As per reports by Economic Times, the warning came during a recent summit in San Francisco, according to three US officials concerned with the matter.
Xi emphasised China's preference for a peaceful reunification with Taiwan rather than using force during a group meeting attended by officials from both countries.
He also rejected predictions by some US military leaders about a specific timeline for the reunification, asserting that no such timeframe has been set.
Leading up to the summit, Chinese officials had requested that Biden publicly support China's goal of peacefully uniting with Taiwan while opposing Taiwanese independence.
This request was reportedly denied by the White House.
The timing of Xi's warning is significant given the heightened tensions between China and Taiwan, especially with an upcoming presidential election in the self-governing democratic island next month.
However, The US National Security Council declined to comment on the matter, highlighting the delicate diplomatic balance between the US and China, particularly concerning the sensitive issue of Taiwan, amid evolving geopolitical dynamics in the Asia-Pacific region.
Nayan Dwivedi is Staff Writer at Swarajya.