Talks between US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week - and an agreement to restore military communications - are likely to improve stability in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei's top delegate told an economic summit, AFP reported.
"I really think it was a good meeting, the good news is that they have resumed military communications," said Maurice Chang, who is in San Francisco as Taiwan's envoy for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
"I think this should help reduce tensions between the US and China and increase the stability of the Taiwan Strait," Chang told reporters.
Chang, 92, is the founder of semiconductor giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).
Taiwan is a key point of tension between Washington and Beijing.
Chang said he had not spoken to Xi this week, although he had discussions with US officials, including Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Vice President Kamala Harris.
He has also had informal contacts with Biden.
But he has voiced support for U.S. export restrictions aimed at cutting off China's access to advanced chips that are key to developing artificial intelligence technology and cutting-edge weapons.
"At least in chips, free trade is pretty much dead," he said.
Regarding US efforts to boost its own semiconductor industry, Chang noted that it is "impossible in the short term" for the United States to set up an enterprise like TSMC. /BGNES
