China urges US not to allow Taiwan delegation to attend Trump inauguration

[BEIJING] China on Wednesday urged the United States not to allow a Taiwanese delegation to attend US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.

Mr Trump broke with decades of precedent last month by taking a congratulatory telephone call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen, and he has also said the "One China" policy was up for negotiation.

A Taiwan delegation, led by former premier and ex-ruling party leader Yu Shyi-Kun, and including a Taiwan national security adviser and some lawmakers, will attend Friday's inauguration, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said this week.

It is typical for Taiwan to send a delegation to US presidential inaugurations at the invitation of the US inaugural committee made up of US lawmakers.

A spokesman for Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's office said no meetings were scheduled with the new Trump administration while the delegation was there for the event.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China was opposed to Taiwan using any excuse to send people to the United States to "engage in activities to interfere in or damage China US ties".

"We again urge the relevant side in the United States not to allow the Taiwan authority to send a so-called delegation to the United States to attend the presidential inauguration and not have any form of official contact with Taiwan," Ms Hua told reporters at a regular press briefing.

"China's position has already accurately and unmistakably been given to the US administration and Trump's team," Ms Hua said.

REUTERS