US Taiwan bill runs risk of war, Chinese state media warn
Legislation to encourage closer US ties with Taiwan – which Beijing claims as its own – will only encourage independence, says state-run newspaper
Mainland Chinese state media warned on Friday that the country could go to war over Taiwan if the United States passes into law a bill promoting closer US ties with the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own.
The legislation, which only needs US President Donald Trump’s signature to become law, says it should be US policy to allow officials at all levels to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts, permit high-level Taiwanese officials to enter the United States “under respectful conditions” and meet US officials.
Beijing considers democratic Taiwan to be a wayward province and integral part of “one China”, ineligible for state-to-state relations, and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.
In a strongly worded editorial, state-run China Daily said if the bill became law it would only encourage Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to further assert the island’s sovereignty.
“Which, if she persisted, would lead to the inevitable consequence of triggering the Anti-Secession Law that allows Beijing to use force to prevent the island from seceding,” the paper said, referring to a law Beijing passed in 2005.