United States President Donald Trump during a phone conversation with China President Xi Jinping, agreed to honor the one China policy.
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Besides, Trump said he fully understands the high significance of the USA government’s pursuit of the one-China policy, adding that the US government adheres to the one-China policy.
In recent months, Mr Trump has challenged Beijing on sensitive issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea.
Just after winning the November election, Trump provoked Beijing’s ire by accepting a congratulatory call from Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen.
During the call, Trump agreed to honor the “one China” policy, according to a White House statement, vowing to maintain the status quo he had previously threatened to shake up.
While Trump’s December remarks left much room for imagination, his latest statement merely indicates that he is returning to the United States’ long-standing “one China” policy, Lo said.
“China is ready to work with the US to strengthen communication, expand cooperation, boost the healthy, steady development of China-US ties” to achieve greater results and benefit people of the two countries and the world, Xi said. Rex W. Tillerson had pledged to uphold the One China policy. The two leaders had previously spoken on November 14, days after Trump had emerged the victor in the 2016 US presidential election.
Donald Trump is yet to speak directly with the leader of Asian and global powerhouse China, and the President’s “worst call by far” phone conversation with Malcolm Turnbull could be to blame.
“It’s better than nothing, but it’s only a very small gesture”, said Shi Yinhong, a foreign affairs adviser to China’s cabinet and director of the Center on American Studies at Renmin University in Beijing. As an incoming president, having diplomatic relations with Taiwan was taken as an implicit break with the “one China” policy.
China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province to be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary.
A statement was also released by the Chinese government in which it referred to the USA and China as “cooperative partners”.
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A spokesman for President Tsai Ing-wen did not comment on the agreement but said it was in Taiwan’s interest to maintain good relations with the USA and China. “But it has to be fair and we will make it fair”, Trump said.
