China draws red line Taiwan ahead of President Xi-Trump summit

China on Tuesday spelt out Taiwan as a “red line”, a day ahead of President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington for a summit with his US counterpart Donald Trump. Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its mainland.
Xi's meeting with Trump on Thursday during his three-day visit to Washington will be the two leaders' second meeting since May.

Announcing Xi's visit, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the leaders' meeting within a span of half a year marks a “milestone of historic significance”.  During the meeting, Xi is widely expected to convey China's firm opposition to America's proposed $11 billion arms package for Taiwan, which Trump has yet to approve and urge the US leader to scale down Washington's support for Taipei. China claims the self-ruled Taiwan island is part of its mainland and vows to integrate it. It also prohibits countries it has diplomatic relations with from having formal ties with Taipei.

The ruling Chinese Communist Party's mouthpiece, People's Daily, on Tuesday highlighted the centrality of Taiwan's question in US-China ties.