For the first in-person discussions since US Vice President Biden was elected president, the leaders met in Bali on the sidelines of the G20 summit. They discussed a number of topics on their agenda.
Taiwan is the "first red line" that "must not be crossed" in the bilateral relationship between the US and China, the Chinese president Xi Jinping has warned Joe Biden.
The leaders met on Monday night in Bali for the first in-person discussions since the leader of the free world was elected president. The crucial conversation lasted for about three hours.
The Chinese President emphasized that his country does not intend to "alter the current international order" and urged all parties to "respect each other."
President Biden was warned by Chinese President Xi Jinping not to cross a "red line" regarding Beijing's claims to Taiwan, as China may use "use of force" if the US interferes with its attempts to annex the territory.
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Taiwan is the "first red line" in the US-China bilateral relationship that "must not be crossed," according to Xi Jinping's warning to Joe Biden. Lintao Zhang/Getty Images provided the image.
According to China's state-owned news agency, Xinhua, Xi told the US president that the Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, the political cornerstone of China-US relations, and the first boundary that cannot be crossed in bilateral relations.
"We will continue to make every effort to achieve peaceful reunification, but we will never promise to give up using force," they said.
Xi stated that the situation in Taiwan was an internal matter, adding, "Anyone who attempts to separate Taiwan from China will be going against the core values of the Chinese people.
Joe Biden, the vice president, stated that he thought China had no immediate plans to invade Taiwan. Getty Images has this picture by Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency.
After the meeting, President Biden spoke and allayed concerns of a resumption of the Cold War by stating that, in his opinion, Beijing had no immediate plans to invade the independent island.
"I made it clear that we want cross-strait disputes to be settled peacefully, preventing the need for that in the first place. And I'm certain he understood what I was saying because I and he both understood what I was saying "he stated.
"I am positive that a new Cold War is not necessary. We were open and honest with one another in every meeting we had, and I have had many meetings with Xi Jinping.
"I don't believe there is any immediate attempt by China to invade Taiwan."
China's stance toward Taiwan has become more rigid under Xi, who claims the island is a breakaway province that will eventually be "reunified" with the nation.
As a result of escalating tensions in August following the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, Taiwan now finds itself at odds with the US and its Western allies, who maintain strategic ambiguity.
China viewed the visit as an affront to its sovereignty over the country and responded by staging massive military drills and firing ballistic missiles over the island as a show of force.
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