By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, December 3: The US President-elect Donald Trump’s phone conversation with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Friday acknowledging her as the ‘President of Taiwan’ has irked China, which sees Taiwan as a breakaway state seeking separation.
“The President of Taiwan CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency,” Trump tweeted.
It is reportedly the first time a US President or President-elect came in contact with a Taiwanese leader since the diplomatic ties were cut-off in 1979 after the US adopted the ‘one-China policy’. It is also for the first time a head of Taiwan was referred to as ‘President’, which no American leader has used in over decades.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi today said that it is ‘just a small trick by Taiwan’ and hopes that the US-China relation won’t be ‘interfered with or damaged’.
“The one-China policy is the cornerstone of the healthy development of China-US relations and we hope this political foundation will not be interfered with or damaged,” Yi said.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs also opposed any official interaction or military contact between the US and Taiwan.
However, according to the statement made by Tsai’s administration, they discussed issues affecting Asia and the future of the ties between the nations, including strengthening bilateral interactions and setting up closer cooperative relations.
“The president also told US President-elect Trump that she hopes the US will continue to support Taiwan’s efforts in having more opportunities to participate in and contribute to international affairs in the future,” the Taiwanese presidential office said in its statement.
Tsai became the first female leader of Taiwan after winning the election in January with a landslide victory for the Democratic Progressive party. In her swearing in ceremony, she said that she would reduce ties with China and promote democracy and freedom of speech.
