Discussing Taiwan With Chinese Foreign Minister In Rome, Foreign Minister Blinken Affirms The United States' Policy Has Not Changed

US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. (Wikimedia Commons/US Department of State)

JAKARTA - United States (US) Foreign Minister Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, argued and warned each other about the policies of both sides regarding the situation in the Taiwan Strait, on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, Sunday.

In an hour-long meeting in Rome, Minister Blinken reiterated Washington opposes any unilateral changes by Beijing to the status quo around Taiwan, a senior State Department official said.

The recent increase in Chinese military exercises in Taiwan's air defense identification zone, including what Taipei said were eight flights on Sunday, is part of what it sees as increased military harassment by Beijing.

The United States wants to manage the intense competition between the world's two largest economies responsibly, State Department officials said, adding both sides recognized open lines of communication were paramount.

On the occasion Foreign Minister Antony Blinken explained that Washington had not changed its 'one China' policy regarding Taiwan, the official said, and Foreign Minister Blinken said there was "no change in our policy" to CNN when asked about President Biden's comments.

"We have had a long-term commitment," he said, under the Taiwan Relations Act which President Biden endorsed when he was a senator, "to ensure Taiwan has the means to defend itself. And we stand by that. The president is very supportive of that."

"We want to make sure that no one takes unilateral action that will disrupt the status quo regarding Taiwan. That hasn't changed," Foreign Minister Blinken said.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed China's serious concern over various issues, in which the US side has undermined China's legitimate rights and interests, asked the US side to change its course and promote China-US relations back to a healthy development path," the Foreign Ministry said. China, in a statement.

Foreign Minister Wang said it was misleading the United States to blame China for the change in the status quo in Taiwan, saying it was the "allies" and "support" of the US for pro-independence forces in Taiwan that were at fault, the Chinese statement said.

China claims the island as part of its own territory and views any foreign intervention in Taiwan as interference in its internal affairs.

In addition, Foreign Minister Wang told Foreign Minister Blinken, Taiwan is the most sensitive issue between China and the United States. "We ask the United States to pursue real Chinese policies, not fake Chinese policies," Foreign Minister Wang was quoted as saying by the ministry.

This is the first direct meeting between the two, after tough discussions in Alaska last March. However, yesterday's meeting was seen as productive, helping to lay the groundwork for a virtual meeting between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping later this year.

However, Foreign Minister Blinken and Foreign Minister Wang did not discuss China's recent hypersonic weapons tests, according to State Department officials.