China said it would “never compromise” on its claims of sovereignty over Taiwan as the United States and China concluded two days of military talks in Washington, part of an effort to restore communication between the two countries’ militaries.
The talks were held days before Taiwan, a self-ruling island democracy, holds a presidential election that will shape its relationship with China as well as ties between China and the U.S., Taiwan’s most important international backer.
China’s stated ambition to “reunify” with Taiwan, by force if necessary, is among the most sensitive issues between the U.S. and China, whose relationship has in recent years fallen to its lowest point in decades.
China said it would “not make any concession or compromise on the Taiwan question and demanded that the U.S. side abide by the one-China principle, honor relevant commitments, stop arming Taiwan, and not support Taiwan independence,” according to a readout published by the Chinese Defense Ministry on Wednesday.
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The 17th round of the U.S.-China Defense Policy Coordination Talks was held Monday and Tuesday for the first time since 2021. They were led by Michael Chase, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for China, Taiwan and Mongolia, and Major General Song Yanchao, deputy director of China’s Central Military Commission Office for International Military Cooperation.
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