China urges US to ‘recognize extreme sensitivity’ over Taiwan

ISTANBUL

China on Monday urged the US to recognize "extreme complexity and sensitivity” over Taiwan after an "unofficial" delegation from Washington met political leaders on the island nation.

“The regional election of Taiwan is China's internal affair,” said Mao Ning, the spokeswoman for Chinese Foreign Ministry.

According to American Institute in Taiwan, Washington’s representative office in Taipei, "US government had asked former senior officials to travel in their private capacity to Taiwan."

Former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and former Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg arrived in Taipei on Sunday.

Accompanied by Institute’s Chair Laura Rosenberger, they met Taiwan’s President Tsain Ing-wen where Hadley said US commitment to Taiwan is "rock solid, principled and bipartisan."

​​​​​​​The delegation also met president-elect William Lai Ching-te who won the three-way presidential elections with 40.5% of the vote on Saturday, giving the ruling Democratic Progressive Party an unprecedented third term.

Asserting China's "firm opposition" to any official exchanges between the US and Taiwan "under any pretext," Mao urged Washington to "earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques."

However, Beijing asked Washington to "implement promises made by US leaders about not supporting 'Taiwan independence,' not endorsing the concept of 'two Chinas' and not seeking to use the Taiwan question as a means to contain the mainland."

"The US needs to exercise extreme prudence in handling Taiwan-related issues, and must not obscure and hollow out the one-China principle in any form or send any wrong signal to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces," Mao said, according to transcript of her news conference held in Beijing.

After the meeting in Taipei, Lai said he was pleased to meet the visiting US delegation.

"Together with our friends in the US, Taiwan remains steadfast in promoting democracy, peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," Lai said on X.

The Institute said the delegation would convey "congratulations from the American people to Taiwan on its successful elections, support for Taiwan’s continued prosperity and growth, and our longstanding interest in cross-Strait peace and stability."

US delegation’s meeting in Taipei came as Taiwan lost another diplomatic partner on Monday, bringing down the number of Taipei’s diplomatic allies to 12 from 18 under the administration of outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen since 2016.

Beijing thanked Russia and other countries and international organizations for "publicly reiterating their commitment to the one-China principle and opposition to 'Taiwan independence'."

"This is the voice of justice and peace from the international community," Mao said.

Mao added that Beijing had lodged a protest against Singapore after the city-state "welcomed" and "congratulated" the Taiwanese elections winner.