One-China principle key to peace, stability

Breaching the one-China principle "will seriously affect peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits", a Taiwan-affairs spokesman said on Wednesday in response to recent remarks by US president-elect Donald Trump.

"There can be no talk of a healthy and steady development of China-US ties if the basis of sticking to the one-China principle is disturbed or damaged," An Fengshan, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a regular news conference.

Trump said over the weekend that he didn't feel "bound by a one-China policy" unless the US could gain benefits from China in trade and other areas.

Earlier, Trump broke with diplomatic precedent by talking on the phone with Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen on Dec 2.

An said the Taiwan question is about China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its core interests.

"Our position against Taiwan independence is steadfast and we are determined, confident and capable of containing Taiwan independence," he said.

The exchange of words between Trump and Beijing has drawn global attention. France's top diplomat expressed discomfort on Wednesday with Trump's bullish tone with China, which is the US' largest trade partner.

"Watch out for China. ... It's a big country. You can have disagreements with China, but you don't talk like that to a partner," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on France 2 television.

The Foreign Ministry urged Washington on Wednesday to avoid "unnecessary disturbances" to bilateral ties and stressed opposition to any form of official exchanges or military connections between the US and Taiwan province.

It was responding to remarks made on Tuesday by US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Abraham Denmark, who said defense spending in Taiwan has not kept pace with the "threat" posed by Beijing and should be increased.

Shi Yinhong, director of the Center of US Studies of Renmin University of China, said that if the one-China policy is unilaterally overturned, "there possibly will be no talk of China-US ties".

"And it will encourage independence forces in Taiwan, which might even lead to wars and greatly endanger peace in the Pacific region."

Tao Wenzhao, a researcher of US studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Trump is on one hand using the Taiwan question to bargain with China for trade benefits, and on the other hand using it as a strategy to contain China.

"But how can the fundamental base of the China-US ties be compared with commercial interests? They are of totally different levels," Tao said.

Contact the writer at lixiaokun@chinadaily.com.cn