Pence, Conway brush off Trump’s talk with Taiwan’s president

President-elect Donald Trump spoke December 2, with the president of Taiwan, a self-governing island the US broke diplomatic ties with in 1979.

It is highly unusual, probably unprecedented, for a USA president or president-elect to speak directly with a leader of Taiwan, a self-governing island the US broke diplomatic ties with in 1979.

Trumps move to talk with Tsai Ing-wenz had infuriated China.

The White House was not in the mood to change the longstanding “one China” policy.

Chaing Kai-shek fled to Taiwan after the Communists won Mainland China.

Perhaps equally important as the call itself is that Trump referred to Tsai as “President of Taiwan”, instead of her formal title of President of the Republic of China (R.O.C.).

“Our national interest is to work with both the USA and with China to keep them both engaged in a really productive way in the region”, Senator Sinodinos told ABC TV.

China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened force if it seeks independence.

On Friday, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger met with China’s President Xi Jinping, the South China Morning Post reported.

“And we’re going to be preparing after January 20 to advance now what will be President Trump’s agenda on the world stage and we’ll deal with policy at that time”, Pence told NBC’s “Meet the Press”. Both sides have accused each other of “militarising” the region.

“I believe that this could help Taiwan in its worldwide status and its global situation”, Chen said.

The Trump organization is defending accusations that the company is making plans to expand in Taiwan. “I hope this political foundation won’t be disrupted or damaged”, he said during a foreign policy seminar. “The diplomatic policy may be flexible after he takes office”. Mr Trump tweeted, in a move that will doubtless deepen the diplomatic row that began when he spoke to the president of Taiwan. Under the “one China” policy, the USA acknowledges the Beijing government’s claim that Taiwan is part of China.

Let’s just say that Beijing does not like that Tsai Ing-wen has proved that democracy can work for any Chinese person, regardless of where they reside.

“The President of Taiwan CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency”.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Vice-President elect Mike Pence walk off Trump’s plane upon their arrival in Indianapolis, Indiana, December 1. “There is no conflict (in that)”, he told reporters in Taipei on Saturday.

“Wang Yi expressed his confidence that the phone conversation would not change America’s policies toward China, and reaffirmed his belief that the “‘one-China policy’ is the cornerstone of the healthy development of China-U.S. relations”.

The US severed diplomatic ties with the self-governing island in 1979 but has maintained close unofficial relations and a commitment to support its defence. “China will watch carefully to see what he does. But Taiwan will be seen as in need of some form of punishment”. Most of the world and the United Nations already recognize Beijing as the official government of China.

However, the foreign policy establishment and some media were even more incensed than Beijing; and the fact that a simple courtesy call caused so much trepidation and genuflection to past protocol shows how absurd U.S-China policy has become, added Yates and Whiton.