Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen tweets congratulations to Trump

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen took to Twitter on Saturday to congratulate US President Donald Trump on his inauguration in a move likely to draw objections from China, already angry with a protocol-breaking phone call a month ago between the two leaders.

“Congratulations @realDonaldTrump. Democracy is what ties Taiwan and the US together. Look forward to advancing our friendship & partnership,” Tsai tweeted just minutes after Trump took his oath of office.

Tsai also vowed to deepen the island’s ties with the United States, which she said was Taiwan’s “most important international ally” and which shared common values of freedom, democracy and human rights, according to a statement by her office.

The question of Taiwan’s status has shot to the top of the international agenda since Trump broke with decades of precedent last month by taking a congratulatory telephone call from Tsai.

That, along with subsequent comments by Trump that the “one China” policy was up for negotiation, has infuriated Beijing, which views Taiwan as a wayward province to be brought under its control by force if necessary.