China warns US against crossing 'red line' in supporting Taiwan, says 'ready to work' with Trump

Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Saturday (Nov 16), warned the United States to refrain from crossing the "red line" in support of Taiwan while assuring his counterpart, US President Joe Biden, that China was willing to work with his successor, president-elect Donald Trump.

Biden and Xi met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru, amid concerns of trade wars and diplomatic upheaval with the changing US administration.

Xi's warning

As per Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, speaking to Biden, Xi outlined four critical "red lines": Taiwan's status, democracy and human rights issues, China's development interests, and pathways to growth. He asserted these were "the most important guardrails and safety net for China-U.S. relations," and "must not be challenged".

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"The separatist actions of 'Taiwan independence' are incompatible with peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," added the Chinese premier.

He also warned that the US "should not intervene in bilateral disputes... and not condone or support provocative impulses," in the South China Sea.

China's 'Red Line'

Beijing claims that the independently governed Taiwan is its territory and consistently refuses to rule out the use of force to seize it. Meanwhile, Taiwan maintains that it is a self-ruled territory, a claim backed by the United States — the US is Taiwan's main security backer. However, the US does not recognize Taipei diplomatically.

This year, China as per AFP stepped up its activities in the contested waterway of the South China Sea, reinforcing sweeping territorial claims that have been repeatedly rejected under international law.

On Ukraine War

Defending China's position on Ukraine as "open and aboveboard," Xi said that Beijing would not allow tensions on the Korean peninsula to "descend into conflict".

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Toward 'smooth transition' with Trump

Despite these warnings, Xi extended an olive branch to the incoming Trump administration. He said his nation would "strive for a smooth transition" in relations with the new United States administration.

"China is ready to work with the new US administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage differences, so as to strive for a smooth transition of the China-US relationship," Xi told Biden.

Xi's remarks come after years of tense relations between Washington and Beijing, particularly during Donald Trump’s first term, which saw a bruising trade war and tariffs on billions of dollars in Chinese goods. Xi acknowledged the need for the two nations to find a better way to coexist, cautioning against framing the relationship in terms of rivalry or conflict. 

"Major country competition should not be the underlying logic of the times," he said, urging against isolating strategies like "small yards with high fences."

"A stable China-US relationship is critical," to both parties and the world, he added.

(With inputs from agencies)