China condemns US over Taiwan trade initiative

ANKARA

China on Friday condemned the US trade agreement with Taiwan, saying it “gravely violates the one-China principle.”

China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing that the agreement “contravenes the US' own commitment of maintaining only unofficial relations with Taiwan.”

In recent years, the US has increased its engagements with the island nation of around 24 million people, which China considers its “breakaway province.”

Washington has supplied arms to Taiwan for billions of dollars, and Washington and Taipei signed an agreement on Thursday to boost bilateral trade.

Dubbed the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade, Taipei called it an "effort to deepen the economic and trade relationship" between the two sides.

"The two sides will now work toward the commencement of negotiations with the goal of reaching high-quality and economically meaningful trade agreements," a statement by Taiwan's Office of Trade Negotiations noted.

However, Mao accused the US of “using the disguise of trade cooperation through the initiative to exploit Taiwan,” according to a transcript by China's Foreign Ministry.

Mao said the ruling Democratic Progressive Party was “offering Taiwan to the US on a plate … thereby enabling the US to undermine the one-China principle.”

“We once again urge the US to abide by the one-China principle … immediately change course and stop official interactions of any form with Taiwan, stop pushing forward and revoke at once the so-called ‘initiative’ and agreement, and stop sending wrong signals to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces, otherwise all consequences shall be borne by the US side,” Mao said.