Independence of Taiwan is "a dead end," China President Xi Jinping said Wednesday during a speech marking the 40th anniversary of when Beijing sent a message to Taiwan calling for unification.
The Central American country chose to establish diplomatic ties with China, which regards the self-governed island of Taiwan as its territory. That leaves Taipei with 17 remaining allies in the world.
President Trump recently signed into law an act that encourages high-level U.S. officials to visit Taiwan and vice versa, which angered China amid the ongoing disagreements over the trade.
President Trump has suggested the U.S. could use the policy as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations. China says the policy is non-negotiable, and Trump appears to have backed down.
