TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai said on Tuesday that a “return” to China is not an option for the island’s 23 million people, after Chinese President Xi Jinping pressed his country’s sovereignty claims in a call with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Xi told Trump on Monday that Taiwan’s “return to China” at the end of World War Two was a key part of Beijing’s vision for the world order. Taiwan’s democratically elected government strongly rejects China’s stance.

“We must once again emphasise that the Republic of China, Taiwan, is a fully sovereign and independent country,” Cho told reporters outside parliament, referring to the island’s formal name.

“For the 23 million people of our nation, ‘return’ is not an option – this is very clear,” he added.

In Taiwan’s system, the prem

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