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US ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft was set to arrive in Taiwan on Wednesday but her trip was cancelled at the last minute. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 9:00pm, 13 Jan 2021Updated: 11:52pm, 13 Jan 2021

The cancellation of two high-profile trips by American officials to Taiwan and Europe may provide some breathing space in the tense China-US relationship, but the calm is unlikely to last for long, diplomatic observers say.

US ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft was set to arrive in Taiwan on Wednesday, but her trip was called off at the last minute.

Beijing last week accused Washington of “playing with fire” with its plans to send the envoy to Taipei, saying the move would create “new difficulties” for the two nations’ already troubled ties.

Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and vehemently opposes any and all official exchanges between Taipei and foreign nations.

Washington severed ties with Taipei in favour of Beijing in 1979. Photo: AFP

The US Department of State announced the cancellation of Craft’s trip on Tuesday, along with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s planned visit to Europe, saying it had called off all of its travel to support the transition to a Joe Biden administration.

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