Xi Jinping’s Warning to Biden: Beijing Asserts Intent to Reunify Taiwan

New Delhi: At the recent summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden in San Francisco, Xi delivered a strong message revealing China’s determination to reunify Taiwan with mainland China. Although the timing remains uncertain, sources suggest Xi stressed Beijing’s preference for a peaceful resolution rather than the use of force, NBC reported, citing current and former US officials.

During the meeting attended by officials from both countries, Xi disputed predictions from US military leaders suggesting a possible move on Taiwan by 2025 or 2027, and said no specific timeframe had been set. The report also shows that Chinese officials requested Biden to publicly reaffirm the United States’ support for China’s peaceful unification with Taiwan.

Officials described the encounter as “candid and frank, but not confrontational”, saying Xi has consistently maintained a tough stance on Taiwan. Notably, at the last Chinese Communist Party Congress, Xi warned that military action would be taken if Taiwan declared independence with foreign support, describing the threat as a response to interference by external forces and separatist elements.

As tensions remain across the Taiwan Strait, Xi’s blunt statements add a layer of complexity to China-US relations, raising questions about the potential implications of China’s reunification ambitions on the global stage. The meeting underlines the delicate balance between diplomatic interactions and geopolitical challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.