U.S., China both believe a stable Taiwan Strait beneficial: Rubio

Taipei, May 6 (CNA) U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday the United States and China both see maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait as in their interests as the leaders of the two countries prepare to meet next week, with Taiwan likely on the agenda.

Rubio commented on Taiwan's role in the upcoming meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平) at a White House press conference when asked whether Trump intended to press Beijing on its Taiwan policy during his visit to China.

"I'm sure Taiwan will be a topic of conversation; it always is," Rubio said, adding that Washington and Beijing understand each other's positions on the Taiwan issue.

"I think both countries understand that it is in neither of our interests to see anything destabilizing happen in that part of the world," Rubio said.

"We don't need any destabilizing events to occur with regard to Taiwan or anywhere in the Indo-Pacific. And I think that's to the mutual benefit of both the United States and China."

Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing on May 14-15 for a summit with Xi. The meeting was postponed from March due to the Middle East conflict launched by the U.S. and Israel. The visit will be Trump's first to China in his second term.

Previously, when asked whether Taiwan was concerned about being used as a bargaining chip at the upcoming summit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesperson Hsiao Kuangwei (蕭光偉) said on April 28 that Taipei would closely monitor the meeting.

The Trump administration has consistently reiterated its support for Taiwan and taken concrete actions to implement the U.S. government's long-standing policy toward Taiwan, Hsiao said.

He added that the government has been in close contact with the U.S. government and policy circles in Washington regarding issues likely to be discussed at the Trump-Xi meeting.