China will take revenge if Donald Trump reneges on 'one China' policy: Global Times

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Chinese tabloid Global Times warns US President-elect Donald Trump that China would "take revenge" if he rolls back the one-China policy after Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen makes a controversial stop in Houston, Texas.
State-run Chinese tabloid Global Times said China would seek to "take revenge" should US President-elect Donald Trump renege on the 'one China' policy. He has said he will not meet Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen when she makes transit stops in the US. PHOTO: AFP

SHANGHAI (REUTERS) - State-run Chinese newspaper Global Times sounded a warning to US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday (Jan 8) only hours after Taiwan's president transited in Houston, saying that China would seek to "take revenge" should Mr Trump renege on the one-China policy.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met senior US Republican lawmakers during her stopover in Houston en route to Central America, where she will visit Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador.

Beijing had asked Washington to not allow Ms Tsai to enter the United States and that she does not have any formal government meetings under the 'one China' policy.

"Sticking to (the 'one China') principle is not a capricious request by China upon US presidents, but an obligation of US presidents to maintain China-US relations and respect the existing order of the Asia-Pacific," said the Global Times editorial.

The nationalistic tabloid is published by the ruling Communist Party's official mouthpiece People's Daily.

Mr Trump triggered protests from Beijing last month by accepting a congratulatory telephone call from Ms Tsai and questioning Washington's longstanding position that Taiwan is part of one China. But he has said that he will not meet Ms Tsai.

The Global Times said Beijing did not need to feel grateful to Mr Trump for not meeting Ms Tsai, but added: "If Trump reneges on the 'one China' policy after taking office, the Chinese people will demand the government to take revenge. There is no room for bargaining."

China is deeply suspicious of Ms Tsai, who it thinks wants to push for the formal independence of Taiwan, an island that Beijing regards as a renegade province, ineligible for state-to-state relations.

Ms Tsai will travel through the United States again on her way back from Latin America on Jan 13 with a stopover in San Francisco, according to her presidential office. The second stop over will occur before Mr Trump's inauguration on Jan 20.

The Global Times, whose stance does not equate with government policy, also targeted Ms Tsai in the editorial, saying that the mainland would likely impose further military pressure on Taiwan, warning that "Tsai needs to face the consequences for every provocative step she takes".

"The mainland should mobilise all possible measures to squeeze Taiwan's diplomacy as well as deal a heavy blow to Taiwan's economy," it said. "It should also impose military pressure on Taiwan and push it to the edge of being reunified by force, so as to effectively affect the approval rating of the Tsai administration."

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