China lodges formal protest over Donald Trump-Taiwan call

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Trump-TAIWAN CALL
Trump-TAIWAN CALL

Los Angeles : Somehow President-elect Donald Trump’s phone calls with other countries are creating a news story everyday. After appreciating Pakistan, now Trump has taken up a new challenge with China by having a telephonic conversation with Taiwan.

Notably, Trump recently lambasted China throughout the election campaign and promised to slap 45 percent tariffs on Chinese goods.

On Sunday, tweeted that Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen had called him to wish him congratulations on winning the Presidency.

Taiwanese presidential spokesman Alex Huang told media, "Maintaining good relations with the United States is as important as maintaining good relations across the Taiwan Strait. Both are in line with Taiwan's national interest."

Kellyanne Conway, Republican's campaign manager told media, "President-elect Trump is fully briefed and fully knowledgeable about these issues ... regardless of who is on the other end of the phone."

Meanwhile, White House's National Security Council spokesperson maintained that US remains "firmly committed to 'one China' policy. There is no change to our longstanding policy on cross-Strait issues.

According to experts, Trump’s phone call discussion with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen can risk and damage relations between the U.S. and China.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi initially called the call a "little trick played by Taiwan. It must be pointed out that there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. One China policy is the political basis of China-U.S. relations."

Later, the ministry issued a formal statement stating that it had lodged "a solemn representation to the United States" over the call.

Significantly, the US has not had diplomatic relations with Taiwan since 1979, when it recognized the People's Republic of China as sole legal government.

 

In fact China has gone to war with Taiwan 3 times since 1949 as it sees the other country as a breakaway province.