US warns China of using force against Taiwan would be “terrible mistake”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned China that using force against Taiwan would be a “terrible mistake.” He also emphasized that the United States’ policy toward Taiwan remains “unchanged” following President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In an interview with a private news channel, Mr. Rubio avoided directly responding to Mr. Xi’s warning that tensions over the self-governing island could lead to a clash between the two nations. He noted that China consistently raises the Taiwan issue during bilateral discussions. Earlier, President Xi warned Mr. Trump that mishandling the Taiwan issue could trigger “clashes and even conflicts” between the United States and China. The remarks came during wide-ranging talks between the two leaders covering the Iran conflict, energy security, and trade. The Chinese president urged the US to exercise extra caution in handling the Taiwan issue.