China demands U.S. to bar Taiwan delegation from Trump inauguration

A demonstrator holds flags of Taiwan and the United States in support of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during an stop-over after her visit to Latin America in Burlingame. Photo: Reuters

PUBLISHED: 4:00 PM, JANUARY 18, 2017

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

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 U.S. presidential inaugurations.

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 Taiwan using any excuse to send people to the United States to "engage in activities to interfere in or damage China U.S. 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," Hua told reporters at a regular press briefing.

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