China sets red lines ahead of planned Trump-Xi summit

Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng said Beijing considers Taiwan, democracy and human rights, China’s development path and political system, and its right to development red lines that must not be violated, setting out the position days before a planned meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington. In an article published in the Communist Party’s People’s Daily, Xie said China’s sovereignty, security and development interests could not be violated. He also called for the two countries to manage differences in good faith and said cooperation benefited both sides, while confrontation harmed them. The remarks place Taiwan and human rights among issues Beijing regards as fundamental rather than ordinary subjects for negotiation. Taiwan is self-governed, and Beijing claims it as part of China. The United States has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan but is its most important security partner and arms supplier, according to the supplied reporting. China opposes U.S. arms sales to the island. Trump had previously said a new arms package for Taiwan, reportedly worth about $14 billion, was being held back as a negotiating tool.