‘Playing with fire’: China warns US over envoy’s Taiwan mission

Kelly Craft is the third senior US official to visit the self-ruled island this year, each one drawing protests from Beijing

‘The US will pay a heavy price’, China declares while also cautioning that the visit will harm relations between the countries

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US ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft has been vocal in her support for Taiwan and has lashed out at Beijing over human rights issues. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:53pm, 8 Jan 2021Updated: 11:40pm, 8 Jan 2021

China accused the United States of “playing with fire” with its plans to send its UN envoy to Taiwan next week, saying the move would create “new difficulties” for the already troubled ties between Beijing and Washington.

The visit from January 13 to 15 by Kelly Craft to Taiwan is seen by the mainland as the latest move by the outgoing administration of Donald Trump to further damage China-US relations and put US president-elect Joe Biden in a corner.

“We wish to remind the United States that whoever plays with fire will burn himself. The United States will pay a heavy price for its wrong action,” a spokesman for China’s mission to the United Nations said in a statement.

“China strongly urges the United States to stop its crazy provocation, stop creating new difficulties for China-US relations and the two countries’ cooperation in the United Nations, and stop going further on the wrong path.”

The US would not succeed in its attempt to harm China’s core interests by politically manipulating Taiwan, it added.

Craft will be the third senior US official to visit Taiwan after undersecretary of state Keith Krach visited in September and Health and Human Rights Secretary Alex Azar went in August.

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