China urges Trump administration against official contacts with Taiwan

ANKARA

China on Monday urged the US against holding official exchanges with Taiwan, which it considers as its breakaway province, saying it should "abide by the one-China principle."

"Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between the US and China’s Taiwan region, and the stance is consistent and clear," Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian said in response to a question regarding Taiwan regional security official Joseph Wu Jaushieh’s reported visit to Washington.

Wu, along with his delegation, was in US last week for a "secret" meeting known as the "special channel," said to be in use between the Washington and Taipei for years, according to the Financial Times.

"We urge the US to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, stop any official interactions with the Taiwan region, and stop meddling in the Taiwan question and creating new tensions in situation across the Straits," Lin maintained.

Lai Ching-te authorities’ “relying on the US to seek 'Taiwan independence' leads nowhere and will never succeed," the spokesperson said, referring to the Taiwanese leader.

The US acknowledges the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, but maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan, which maintains its independence since 1949.

*Writing by Aamir Latif