Taiwan’s “return” to China was not an option, premier Cho Jung-tai said on Tuesday after Xi Jinping pressed Beijing’s sovereignty claims to the self-governed island in a phone call with Donald Trump.
The Chinese leader told the American president on Monday that Taiwan’s return to China after the Second World War was a key part of Beijing’s vision for world order.
Mr Xi invoked his nation’s wartime alliance with the US while urging joint efforts to “safeguard the victory of World War Two”.
Taiwan was returned to China in October 1945 following Japan’s surrender at the end of the war.
“We must once again emphasise that the Republic of China, Taiwan, is a fully sovereign and independent country,” Mr Cho told reporters outside the parliament in Taipei.
“For the 23 million people of our nation, ‘return’ is not an option,” the premier said. “This is very clear.”
Taiwan was catapulted to the centre of an escalating diplomatic row between Beijing and Tokyo earlier this month after Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from her country.
Her remarks provoked a furious response from Beijing, including boycotts of seafood trade and travel.
China considers Taiwan its sovereign territory, and doesn’t rule out the use of force to unify it with the mainland. The island’s government rejects China’s claim and says only its people can decide their future.
Beijing has demanded that Ms Takaichi retract her comments while Tokyo has insisted that they are in line with its longstanding position.
Ms Takaichi spoke with Mr Trump on Tuesday and discussed their relations with China.
“President Trump gave a brief explanation of the recent state of US-China relations,” Ms Takaichi told reporters. “President Trump mentioned that he and I are extremely good friends, and that he would be delighted to receive a call from me at any time.”
China has offered Taiwan a “one country, two systems” model, similar to Hong Kong, but president Lai Ching-te has rejected it.
In recent years, Beijing has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan by conducting drills around the island.
President Xi’s call with Mr Trump on Monday was their first direct contact since the two leaders reached a trade truce in South Korea. Mr Xi pressed his American counterpart on the issue of Taiwan, which did not arise in last month’s meeting.
“Our relationship with China is extremely strong!” Mr Trump wrote in a Truth Social post but made no mention of Taiwan. China’s readout of the call emphasised Taiwan, while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the conversation was focused on trade.
The Chinese news agency Xinhua said Mr Trump stressed that the US “understands how important the Taiwan question is to China”.
Mr Trump said he agreed to visit Beijing in April and invited Mr Xi for a state visit to America next year.
