China’s ‘demands’ on Taiwan, regional issues seek to constrain US action

Beijing’s hardline stance during senior-level talks with the US may seek to set constraints on American actions in the region, analysts say, but will not change how other countries are working with Washington or pushing back on sensitive issues such as Taiwan.

In a meeting with US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman in Tianjin on Monday, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi laid out “basic demands” for the US not to challenge the Chinese system, not to disrupt China’s developmental practices and not to infringe upon issues it considers a matter of sovereignty including on Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Taiwan.