'Return' to China not an choice for Taiwan's individuals, premier says responding to Xi

[ad_1] Xi pushes sovereignty claims in name with Trump Taiwan says solely island's individuals can resolve their future China-Japan ties plunge in dispute over Taiwan TAIPEI, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai stated on Tuesday {that a} "return" to China is just not an choice for the island's 23 million individuals, after Chinese language President Xi Jinping pressed his nation's sovereignty claims in a name with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Xi told Trump on Monday that Taiwan's "return to China" on the finish of World Conflict Two was a key a part of Beijing's imaginative and prescient for the world order. Taiwan's democratically elected authorities strongly rejects China's stance. Join <a data-testid="Link" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/return-china-not-an-option-taiwans-people-premier-says-2025-11-25/undefined?location=article-paragraph&redirectUrl=%2Fworld%2Fchina%2Freturn-china-not-an-option-taiwans-people-premier-says-2025-11-25%2F" class="text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC">here.

"We should as soon as once more emphasise that the Republic of China, Taiwan, is a totally sovereign and impartial nation," Cho instructed reporters outdoors parliament, referring to the island's formal title.

"For the 23 million individuals of our nation, 'return' is just not an choice - that is very clear," he added.

In Taiwan's system, the premier is answerable for day-to-day authorities operations whereas defence and overseas relations are typically the president's purview.

TAIWAN REJECTS CHINA'S AUTONOMY MODEL China has supplied Taiwan a "one nation, two techniques" mannequin, which enjoys no help from any mainstream Taiwanese political celebration and has been rejected by President Lai Ching-te. Relations between Beijing and Tokyo have plunged after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated this month {that a} hypothetical Chinese language assault on Taiwan may set off a army response from Japan. China says Taiwan is its most necessary and delicate diplomatic situation.

Trump touted progress in commerce talks and stated relations with China had been "extraordinarily robust" in a submit on Fact Social following his name with Xi, with out mentioning any discussions on Taiwan.

Taipei has repeatedly denounced Beijing for attempting to distort the legacy of World War Two , which ended 80 years in the past, particularly as Taiwan was handed to the Republic of China authorities on the finish of the battle. The Folks's Republic of China didn't come into existence till 1949, when Mao Zedong's communist forces defeated the Republic of China forces, which then fled to Taiwan.

Taiwan's Overseas Ministry spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei stated in Taipei that China has distorted the details round World Conflict Two, and pointed to U.S. feedback in September about how Beijing has tried to make use of documents from that period to strain and isolate Taiwan. "China has repeatedly tried to intimidate and strain neighbouring international locations comparable to Taiwan and Japan within the area with its authoritarian expansionist nature," he stated.

CHINESE MILITARY PRESSURE Beijing has by no means renounced using drive to carry Taiwan below its management and has stepped up its army strain in opposition to the island.

On Tuesday, Taiwan's defence ministry stated it had noticed a single balloon coming from China flying over the delicate Taiwan Strait the day earlier than.

Taiwan has complained that these balloon flights, which usually happen within the winter months, are a part of a sample of Chinese language harassment actions. Beijing's defence ministry didn't instantly reply to a request for remark.

China has beforehand dismissed Taiwan's complaints concerning the balloons, saying they had been for meteorological functions and shouldn't be overrated for political causes.

Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Modifying by Jacqueline Wong and Saad Sayeed

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Purchase Licensing Rights Ben joined Reuters as an organization information reporter in Shanghai in 2003 earlier than transferring to Beijing in 2005 to cowl Chinese language politics and diplomacy. In 2019 Ben was appointed the Taiwan bureau chief protecting every thing from elections and leisure to semiconductors.