China Complains After President-Elect Trump Speaks to Taiwan Leader Tsai Ing-wen

Posted: December 3, 2016 | Author: Pundit Planet | Filed under: Asia, Breaking News, China, Diplomacy, Global | Tags: Barack Obama, China, China–United States relations, Donald Trump, President of the Republic of China, President of the United States, Taiwan, Taiwan–United States relations, Tsai Ing-wen, United States, United States National Security Council |Leave a comment

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Beijing (AFP) – China protested to Washington Saturday after US President-elect Donald Trump broke with decades of foreign policy and spoke with the president of Taiwan.

“It was not immediately clear whether Trump’s telephone call with Tsai Ing-wen marked a deliberate pivot away from Washington’s official ‘One China’ stance, but it fuelled fears he is improvising on international affairs.”

It was not immediately clear whether Trump’s telephone call with Tsai Ing-wen marked a deliberate pivot away from Washington’s official “One China” stance, but it fuelled fears he is improvising on international affairs.

Xiamen University

Zhang Wensheng, of Xiamen University, was more circumspect, dismissing Trump’s use of the term ‘president’ as ‘personal greetings’ that ‘do not reflect a political position whatsoever’.

China regards self-ruling Taiwan as part of its own territory awaiting reunification under Beijing’s rule, and any US move that would imply support for independence would likely trigger fury.

[ALSO SEE – Commentary: Trump, Taiwan and China – punditfromanotherplanet]

During Friday’s discussion, Trump and Tsai noted “the close economic, political and security ties” between Taiwan and the United States, according to the president-elect’s office.

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Even before the call with Taiwan, Trump’s unorthodox diplomatic outreach had raised eyebrows, and, for some critics, in extending his hand to Taiwan, Trump crossed a dangerous line.

“President-elect Trump also congratulated President Tsai on becoming President of Taiwan earlier this year,” it said.

Beijing on Saturday offered a robust response.

“We have already made solemn representations about it to the relevant US side,” the Chinese foreign ministry said.

“There is no change to our longstanding policy on cross-Strait issues. We remain firmly committed to our ‘One China’ policy,” she added. “Our fundamental interest is in peaceful and stable cross-Strait relations.”

— National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne

“It must be pointed out that there is only one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory,” ObaMao

China also urged “relevant parties in the US… to handle Taiwan-related issues with caution and care to avoid unnecessarily interfering with the overall situation of Sino-US relations.”

Trump, who had come under fire for the telephone call, hit back — on Twitter.

“Interesting how the U.S. sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call,” Trump tweeted.

– ‘How wars start’ –

President Barack Obama’s White House said the outgoing US administration had not changed its stance on China-Taiwan issues.

“There is no change to our longstanding policy on cross-Strait issues,” National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne told reporters.

“We remain firmly committed to our ‘One China’ policy,” she added. “Our fundamental interest is in peaceful and stable cross-Strait relations.”

Washington cut formal diplomatic relations with the island in 1979 and recognises Beijing as the sole government of “One China” — while keeping friendly, non-official ties with Taipei…(read more)

Source: China AFP – yahoo news