Taiwan rebuts remarks made by China's Xi at APEC meeting with Biden

Taipei, Nov. 18 (CNA) Taiwan on Sunday rebutted remarks made by Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) during his meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru.

Xi's comments were "targeted, contrary to the facts, and deliberately setting limits on Taiwan-U.S. relations," according to a statement issued by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), Taiwan's top government agency in charge of relations with China.

During his meeting with the U.S. leader on Saturday (Peru time), Xi had named "the Taiwan question" -- along with "democracy and human rights, China's path and system, and China's development right" -- as "red line" issues for Beijing that "must not be challenged" by other countries.

Xi also mentioned Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Taiwan's president and leader of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), by name.

"If the U.S. side cares about maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait, it is crucial that it sees clearly the true nature of Lai Ching-te and the DPP authorities in seeking 'Taiwan independence,' handles the Taiwan question with extra prudence, unequivocally opposes 'Taiwan independence,' and supports China's peaceful reunification," according to a readout of the meeting published by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.

In response, the MAC said in its statement that the Taiwan government's cross-strait policies are "steady, pragmatic and consistent" and "recognized by Taiwanese mainstream public opinion and the international community."

"In the face of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) continued civil and military attacks on Taiwan, we will firmly uphold the constitutional system of the Republic of China [Taiwan's official name], neither be humble nor arrogant, maintain the status quo, resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and dignity, and strive to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the region."

"President Lai made it clear during his inauguration and National Day speeches that Taiwan will work with its democratic partners to hold up a 'democratic umbrella' to protect democratic partner countries from the threat of authoritarian expansion and work together to promote world democratic peace and prosperity," the MAC said.

The MAC statement also criticized Beijing's "military intimidation and economic coercion" toward Taiwan and other countries in the Indo-Pacific region, noting that these actions had been the main cause of "tensions" and "instability to peace" in cross-strait relations.

"The Mainland Affairs Council calls on the Beijing authorities to pragmatically face the objective facts of the current situation across the Taiwan Strait, abandon coercive claims and actions, engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan's democratically elected and legitimate government to resolve differences, and jointly shoulder the international responsibility for maintaining regional security and global peace."

The White House also issued a readout of the Xi-Biden meeting on Sunday (U.S. time), in which the American president was described as telling the Chinese leader that "the United States' one China policy remains unchanged."

President Biden also "reiterated that the United States opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side, that we expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means, and that the world has an interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."

Biden also "called for an end to destabilizing PRC military activity around Taiwan" in his meeting with Xi, according to the White House.