China to US: Stop official interactions with Taiwan

BEIJING • China's foreign ministry said yesterday that a visit to Taiwan by a United States congressional delegation violates the one-China policy, and that the US must immediately stop all forms of official interaction with Taiwan.

"Colluding with Taiwan independence forces is a dangerous game and playing with fire will result in burning themselves," ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular media briefing.

Cross-strait tensions have risen in recent months, with Taiwan complaining for a year or more of repeated missions by China's air force near the self-ruled island.

China views Taiwan as a renegade province, to be reunified by force, if necessary.

China's defence ministry on Tuesday condemned the visit by the US delegation that had arrived in Taiwan on a military aircraft. "We firmly oppose and strongly condemn this," it said.

The Chinese military said that it had conducted a combat-readiness patrol in the direction of the Taiwan Strait.

The patrol was aimed at the seriously wrong words and actions of relevant countries on the Taiwan issue and the activities of pro-independence forces in Taiwan, said a Chinese military spokesman.

Taiwan's defence ministry said six Chinese military aircraft entered its south-western air defence zone on Tuesday, including four J-16 fighter jets and two surveillance planes.

When asked about the visit, Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang said yesterday that Taiwan-US relations are very important and that he respects mutual visits between friends. The government will make appropriate arrangement based on each others' need, he said, without elaborating.

Taiwan's foreign ministry confirmed that the visit was arranged by the American Institute in Taiwan - the de facto US embassy in the absence of formal diplomatic ties.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Zhu Fenglian yesterday condemned the visit, but played down the notion that war is imminent. "We urge everyone not to believe or spread rumours," she said.

In Washington, the Pentagon said it was not uncommon for congressional delegations to be transported in military aircraft. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby did not provide details on who was on the flight, but said this was the second such congressional trip to Taiwan this year.

In June, China's defence ministry denounced a brief weekend visit by three US senators to Taiwan on a US military aircraft, calling it a "vile political provocation" that was irresponsible and dangerous.

Since her election in 2016, President Tsai Ing-wen has tried to assert Taiwan's distinct identity, provoking China's anger.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE