Beijing tells Washington to abide by ‘one China’ principle after US Navy’s Taiwan passage
- Chinese government asks US to act ‘responsibly’ as both sides take increasingly confrontational stance on self-ruled island
- Beijing maintains Taiwan is a breakaway province that must be reunited with mainland
The Chinese foreign ministry on Friday urged Washington to abide by its “one China” principle after two US warships passed through the Taiwan Strait the previous day.
It was the first such operation this year and analysts said that while the coming year may see increasing confrontation over the self-ruled island, the two sides would both be very cautious about taking things too far.
The two sides are also embroiled in a trade war that could seriously damage both economies if things escalate further, while a number of other diplomatic and strategic disagreements have further strained relations.
On the same day the US warships sailed through the sensitive waterway east of Taiwan, the mainland Chinese military also staged separate air and sea exercises on the opposite side of the island.
Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway province that must be reunited with the mainland and has never ruled out the use of force.