Don't play with fire over Taiwan issue, Beijing tells Washington

BEIJING • China yesterday told the United States to stop playing with fire over Taiwan, and lodged a complaint after Washington issued guidelines that will enable American officials to meet more freely with officials from the island that China views as its own.

The US State Department's decision last Friday to deepen relations with Taiwan came amid stepped-up Chinese military activity around the island, including almost daily air force flights into Taiwan's air defence zone.

The latest Chinese mission on Monday involved 14 J-16 and four J-10 fighters, as well as four H-6K bombers, which can carry nuclear weapons, two anti-submarine aircraft and an early warning aircraft, Taiwan's Defence Ministry said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters that Beijing has lodged "stern representations" with the US. China urges the US "not to play with fire on the Taiwan issue, immediately stop any form of US-Taiwan official contacts, cautiously and appropriately handle the matter, and not send wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces so as not to subversively influence and damage Sino-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait", he said.

Taiwan is China's most sensitive territorial and diplomatic issue, and a regular source of Sino-US friction. China has never renounced the use of force to ensure eventual unification.

Then US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced days before Mr Donald Trump's presidency ended in January that he was lifting restrictions on contacts between US officials and Taiwanese officials.

While the US, like most other countries, officially recognises China rather than Taiwan, Washington is also Taipei's most important international supporter and arms seller. The US is required by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

China believes the US is colluding with Taiwan to challenge Beijing and giving support to those who want the island to declare formal independence.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen says the island is a sovereign state called the Republic of China, its formal name, and that she will defend its freedom and security.

REUTERS