Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has warned Washington against backing pro-independence forces in Taiwan, saying that the US is sending them “wrong signals”.

Wang stressed that, during virtual talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart Joe Biden, Washington should fulfil its commitments regarding Taiwan, and not pursue an attempt to support its independence.

This statement comes after Biden pledged to defend Taiwan against any aggression, hinting at Beijing, while Taipei admitted it has hosted American troops on the island.

At the same time, China criticized the US and European countries for trying to boost their contacts with Taiwan as meddling in China’s internal business.

Taiwan, which officially calls itself the “Republic of China”, has been governed by a separate government since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949.

Beijing considers Taiwan to be a breakaway Chinese province, while the island maintains that it is an autonomous country. Taipei has political and economic relations with several other nations that recognize its sovereignty.

Source: Agencies