BEIJING: Any change in US policy favouring formal recognition of Taiwan will seriously damage peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and undermine relations between Beijing and Washington, a Chinese government spokesman said on Wednesday.
The comments from the Cabinets Taiwan Affairs Office follow President-elect Donald Trumps remarks over the weekend that he didnt feel bound by a one-China policy unless the US could gain benefits from China in trade and other areas.
Under the one-China policy, the US recognises Beijing as Chinas government and maintains only unofficial relations with Taiwan, a former Japanese colony which broke from the Chinese mainland amid civil in 1949.
Spokesman An Fengshan said breaching the one-China principle will seriously affect peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The one-China policy is an important political foundation for relations between China and the US, An told reporters. If such a foundation is disturbed or undermined, there can be no talk of a healthy and stable development of US-China relations.
Trump broke diplomatic precedent by talking on the phone with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Dec 2, during which the islands leader congratulated Trump on his election victory. Then, this past weekend, Trump said he might use Americas recognition of Beijing as leverage for gaining advantages in trade and other areas.
That is placing him perilously close to touching on Chinas bottom line that brooks no formal recognition of Taiwan or challenge to its claim to sovereignty over the island. Chinas response has thus far been fairly muted, mainly blaming Tsai for placing the call.
The last major crisis over Taiwan came in 1995, when China staged threatening war games and missile tests near the island in response to then-president Lee Teng-huis visit to the US, which was seen by Beijing as a bid to solidify the islands de-facto independent status. The move was largely seen as backfiring, with Lee winning the islands first direct presidential election in 1996.
The US and China are the worlds two largest economies with bilateral trade in goods and services reaching nearly $660 billion last year.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
ACT NOW |
MONTHLY | Rs 100 | |
YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |