On May 14, in an interview with NBC, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, "As of today, and based on today's meeting, the U.S. policy on Taiwan has not changed." He added, "They always raise this (Taiwan) issue, and we clarify our position before moving on to other topics."
Rubio also drew a line regarding the possibility of China's military unification with Taiwan, warning that such an action would be a "big mistake." He cautioned that any aggressive moves would have repercussions not only from the U.S. but also from the international community.
He clarified that the issue of arms sales to Taiwan was not a central topic of the recent meeting. "It is well known that China opposes U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, but this issue was not prominently addressed during the Trump-Xi meeting," he said. He noted, "Arms sales to Taiwan are a matter for the President to decide, and Congress also plays a procedural role."
Rubio's comments came shortly after Xi strongly emphasized the Taiwan issue during their meeting, stating that it is the most critical matter in U.S.-China relations and warned that failure to address it properly could lead to conflict and tension between the two nations. However, the White House's briefing materials did not separately mention the Taiwan issue.
Taiwan welcomed the reaffirmation of U.S. policy. The Taiwanese Foreign Ministry expressed gratitude for the U.S. emphasis on peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the maintenance of existing policies. Taiwan criticized the ongoing activities of the Chinese military, stating that Beijing remains a major risk factor for regional peace and stability.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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