- Title: China says it is extremely concerned by Trump's 'one China' comments
- Date: 12th December 2016
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (DECEMBER 12, 2016) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, GENG SHUANG, WALKING IN FOR REGULAR BRIEFING MEDIA SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, GENG SHUANG, SAYING: "China has noted the report and expresses serious concern about it. I want to stress that the Taiwan issue concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and involves China's core interests. Upholding the one China principle is the political basis for developing China-U.S. ties. If this basis is interfered with or damaged then the healthy development of China-US relations and bilateral cooperation in important areas is out of the question." BRIEFING IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, GENG SHUANG, SAYING: "We urge the new U.S. government and leader to fully recognise the sensitivity of the Taiwan issue and continue to uphold a one China policy and principles of the three joint China-U.S. communiques and cautiously and safely handle the Taiwan issue, to avoid the broader picture of China-U.S. ties being seriously interfered with or damaged." EXTERIOR OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY CHINESE NATIONAL FLAG FLYING
- Embargoed: 27th December 2016 09:02
- Keywords: foreign ministry China USA President Elect Donald Trump
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- City: BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Reuters ID: LVA0015CKV4G7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: China expressed "serious concern" on Monday (December 12) after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said the United States did not necessarily have to stick to its long-held stance that Taiwan is part of "one China".
Trump's comments on "Fox News Sunday", questioning nearly four decades of U.S. policy, came after he prompted a diplomatic protest from China over his decision to accept a telephone call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on December 2.
China's Foreign Ministry said cooperation was "out of the question" if Washington could not recognise Beijing's core interest on Taiwan, indicating it would reject any effort by Trump to use the issue as a bargaining chip in a long list of commercial and security problems facing the two countries.
"China has noted the report and expresses serious concern about it. I want to stress that the Taiwan issue concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and involves China's core interests. Upholding the one China principle is the political basis for developing China-US ties. If this basis is interfered with or damaged then the healthy development of China-US relations and bilateral cooperation in important areas is out of the question," said ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.
"We urge the new US government and leader to fully recognise the sensitivity of the Taiwan issue and continue to uphold a one China policy and principles of the three joint China US communiques and cautiously and safely handle the Taiwan issue, to avoid the broader picture of China-US ties being seriously interfered with or damaged," he added.
Geng said China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi had met with Trump advisors, including his pick for national security adviser, retired Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, during a transit in New York on his way to Latin American in recent days.
Geng said both sides exchanged views on China-U.S. ties and important issues both are concerned with, without elaborating.
The meeting happened as Yang, who outranks the foreign minister, was passing through New York on his way to Latin America, Geng added.
He did not give a precise date and it was unclear if it occurred before or after Trump's latest remarks on Taiwan, which Beijing considers a renegade province. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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