Taiwan Voices Readiness to Maintain Good Relations With Both Washington, Beijing

Taiwanese authorities plan to maintain "positive relations" with both Washington and Beijing to maintain peace and stability in the region, Taiwan's Presidential Office said in a Friday statement.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Thursday, US President Donald Trump held his first phone call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and discussed a number of issues, including bilateral economic relations and different regional problems. Following the talks, the White House said that Washington planned to stick to the "One China" policy.

"Maintaining positive relations with the U.S. and across the Taiwan Strait are both in line with our national interest and key to regional peace and stability, and as such they are goals that this administration will work hard to achieve," Presidential Office Spokesperson Huang Chung-yen was quoted as saying in the statement.

The statement said that the United States was Taiwan's "most important strategic" partner, adding that Taipei would continue to strengthen bilateral ties to further stability and welfare in East Asia.

Following the victory in the US presidential election, Trump received a call from Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen, and became the first US president to speak with Taiwan's leader since 1979. The negotiations have been criticized by Beijing as China does not recognize Taiwan's independence and calls for adherence to the One China approach.