Sources confirmed to ABC News that Chinese President Xi Jinping made a blunt statement to United States President, Joe Biden, at their recent summit, saying that China will achieve reunification with Taiwan.
The sources said that Xi did not specify whether China would use force or peaceful means, but he implied that he would try the latter first.
This was not a surprise to U.S. officials, who have heard Xi say similar things publicly before. However, it was notable that he said it so directly to Biden at a summit that was meant to improve their relations.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby declined to share the details of the private conversation between the two leaders. He said that Xi has been clear about his reunification goal, and that the U.S. has been clear that it supports the One China policy, which does not favor Taiwan’s independence or any unilateral change in the status quo. He also said that there was no need for violence over this issue.
