China has expressed strong displeasure over US president-elect Donald Trump's One-china bombshell saying it's "seriously concerned" by the suggestion that Washington could shift from mutually agreed guidance on the dealings with self-ruled Taiwan.
Wide-ranging bilateral relations with the US will be out of the question if the One-China policy is "compromised or disrupted," the Chinese government said on Monday. Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China considers the One-China principle as the basis of relations between Beijing and Washington.
Trump opened the Pandora's box on Sunday saying he did not know why the US should "be bound by a One China policy unless we make a deal with China having to do with other things, including trade." The prospects for Sino-US ties under a Trump presidency had already come under the shadow after Trump spoke with Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen last week in a major break with tradition. No Us President or president-elect has held discussion with a Taiwanese leader ever since the US accorded diplomatic recognition to the People's Republic of China in late 70s.
Trump also resolutely defended his call with Tsai and said he didn't want China to dictate terms to him. "I don't want China dictating to me and this was a call put into me .. It was a very nice call. Short. And why should some other nation be able to say I can't take a call ... I think it actually would've been very disrespectful, to be honest with you, not taking it," Trump said.
Meanwhile Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece Global Times hit out against Trump, shedding the diplomatic nuances in the official response. The editorial in the paper said the One-China policy was not for selling and said Trump was "as ignorant as a child in terms of foreign policy." The paper said Trump appeared to understand only business. "He thinks he can put a price on everything."
The commentary also said China will make sure it has the final say over the Taiwan Strait. "At that time [after Trump abandons the one-China policy] ... mainland China will put forward a series of decisive new Taiwan policies. We will prove that the United States no longer dominates the Taiwan Strait."
Global Times said hostile actions from Trump would attract similar moves from China as well. If Trump undermined the One-China principle and supported Taiwan 'wantonly' by ramping up weapons sales, China would offer support or "even military assistance to US foes," the paper said, according to Taiwan news.
