Chinese foreign minister brushes off Trump call with Tsai as ‘petty trick’ by Taiwan

Beijing protested to Washington Saturday after US President-elect Donald Trump broke with decades of foreign policy and spoke with the president of Taiwan.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the mainland government had lodged solemn representations with the US, urging the American to honour its commitment to the one-China policy, Xinhua reported.

Also on Saturday, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said the unprecedented phone call between Trump and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen was no more than “a petty trick” by Taipei, and it would not change international recognition of the one-China policy.

“This will never change the one-China consensus reached in the international community. I also believe that this will never change the one-China policy recognised by the US over the past years,” Wang told Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV on Saturday morning on the sideline of a foreign affairs forum in Beijing.

“Sticking to the one-China principle is the cornerstone of the healthy development of Sino-US ties. We hope nothing will disturb or damage this political foundation.”

The mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office (MAO) under the State Council on Saturday reiterated its stance against Taiwan independence after the call.

“We are determined, confident and capable of containing Taiwan independence in any form and pushing forward the national reunification process,” An Fengshan, spokesperson for the office, said.