Taiwan envoy says had good exchanges with Trump, China’s Xi

DANANG, Vietnam: Taiwan’s envoy to the APEC summit of Asia-Pacific leaders said on Saturday he had good exchanges with both US.

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, but did not discuss political issues with Xi.

Trump upset China by taking a telephone call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen shortly after winning the election last year.

The United States has no formal relations with self-ruled Taiwan, claimed by China as its territory, but is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself. Xi told Trump in Beijing on Thursday that Taiwan is the most important and sensitive issue in Sino-US ties.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the APEC summit in the Vietnamese city of Danang, Taiwan’s envoy James Soong said during informal moments between events he had the opportunity to have ‘ very good interaction’ with Trump and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, among others.

Soong said he would report back to Taipei before speaking more about the contents of those conversations but said they were held in an atmosphere of ‘great consideration’.

Soong said his meeting with Xi was ‘natural and friendly’, but added: “This isn’t the occasion for cross-Taiwan Straits political talks.”

Relations between China and self-ruled Taiwan have nosedived since Tsai was elected last year.

China believes she wants formal independence for Taiwan, a red line for Beijing.

For her part, Tsai says she wants to maintain peace with China but will defend Taiwan’s democracy and security. — Reuters