Chinese tabloid warns Trump over 'revenge'

  • 09/01/2017
Trump has left open the possibility of meeting with Taiwan's president once he takes office (AAP)
Trump has left open the possibility of meeting with Taiwan's president once he takes office (AAP)

State-run Chinese tabloid Global Times has warned US President-elect Donald Trump that China will take "take revenge" if he reneged on the one-China policy, only hours after Taiwan's president made a controversial stopover in the US city of Houston.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met senior US Republican lawmakers during her stopover in Houston on Sunday en route to Central America.

Beijing had asked Washington not to allow Tsai to enter the United States and that she not have any formal government meetings under the one China policy.

A photograph tweeted by Texas Governor Greg Abbott shows him meeting Tsai, with a small table between them adorned with the U.S., Texas and Taiwanese flags.

Tsai also met Texas senator and former presidential candidate Ted Cruz.

"Sticking to (the one China) principle is not a capricious request by China upon US presidents, but an obligation of US presidents to maintain China-US relations and respect the existing order of the Asia-Pacific," said the Global Times editorial on Sunday.

The influential tabloid is published by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily.

Trump triggered protests from Beijing last month by accepting a congratulatory telephone call from Tsai and questioning Washington's commitment to China's position that Taiwan is part of one China.

"If Trump reneges on the one-China policy after taking office, the Chinese people will demand the government to take revenge. There is no room for bargaining," said the Global Times.

Trump has said that he will not meet with any foreign leaders before he takes office, but left open the possibility of meeting Tsai after his inauguration on January 20.

Cruz said some members of Congress had received a letter from the Chinese consulate asking them not to meet with Tsai during her stopovers.

"The People's Republic of China needs to understand that in America we make decisions about meeting with visitors for ourselves," Cruz said.

Cruz said he and Tsai discussed upgrading bilateral relations and furthering economic cooperation between their countries, including increased access to Taiwanese markets that will benefit Texas ranchers, farmers and small businesses.

Reuters