China’s Xi Jinping is committed to Taiwan agreement, says Joe Biden

TAIWAN on Wednesday underlined the United States’ continued adherence to treaties on Taiwan amid heightened tensions with Beijing.

US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that he had addressed the issue of Taiwan in an earlier talk with Chinese President i Jinping.

Tensions have soared between Taipei and Beijing in the past week due to repeated incursions by dozens of Chinese aircraft into Taiwan’s air defence zone.

Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the self-governing democratic island part of its territory.

“I’ve spoken with i about Taiwan. We agree ... we’ll abide by the Taiwan agreement,” Biden told reporters at the White House.

“We made it clear that I don’t think he should be doing anything other than abiding by the agreement.”

The Taiwan agreement which Biden referred to appeared to be the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), stating the US decision to establish diplomatic ties with China rests upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful means.

Taiwan presidential spokesperson avier Chang said on Wednesday that the US policy towards Taiwan remained “rock solid” originally a phrase used by the US

State Department - based on the TRA and the Six Assurances.

The 1982 Six Assurances concern US arms sales to Taiwan.

Taiwan maintains that China’s air manoeuvres around the island, including some 150 sorties since October 1, have undermined regional peace.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday called on China to “show restraint in order not to inadvertently ignite con ict” in an online video meeting with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s Central Standing Committee.

Taiwan is receiving a number of diplomatic visits this week, including by a delegation of French senators and by former Australian

prime minister Tony Abbott.