Trump takes fresh swipe at China

“I think Mr Trump is hoping to show he is tough and that he can decide who he gets a call from”.

“It was a courtesy call”, Mr Pence told NBC’s Meet The Press.

Trump intended, in part, for the call to prove to China he’ll be breaking from the codes of past Presidents.

The U.S. commitment to Taiwan also permits the sale of defensive weapons, and just previous year the U.S. sold Taiwan $1.83 billion worth of them, most of which Taipei uses to defend itself from a potential provocations from Beijing.

He suggested Trump take briefings from the State Department before any future conversation with foreign leaders.

Beijing views Taiwan as a renegade province and it has been the official position of the United States since 1979 that the government in Beijing is the sole government of China. “The “one China” principle is the political foundation of China-US relations”.

“In fact, China has maintained contacts and communication with the team of President-elect Trump”, he added, repeating a previous assertion, although he did not give details.

Trump wrote in two consecutive tweets sent at about 5:30 p.m. Yet the phone conversation prompted mixed reactions.

Alex Huang, a spokesman for the Taiwan leader, said: “Of course both sides agreed ahead of time before making contact”. The call lasted 10 minutes.

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Jin Canrong, professor of global studies at Renmin University, said Beijing was “very much on guard against the future administration, but won’t have any formal reaction” while Obama was still in office, especially since Trump has not yet formed his cabinet or chosen a secretary of state.

Kissinger, who met with Trump last month, said it suggested Beijing may be looking to develop a “calm dialogue” with the new US administration.

Taiwan’s presidential office spokesman, Alex Huang, said separately that Taiwan’s relations with China and “healthy” Taiwan-U.S. relations can proceed in parallel.

“The government values ties with (China) and the president has reiterated time and again that Taiwan will not go back to the old way of confrontation…” -China policy but said he was sure the Trump team had not orchestrated the call without knowing the implications.

“Our fundamental interest is in peace and stable cross-Strait relations”. Overplaying fears about the recklessness of Trump’s Taiwan call would certainly look to play into Chinese propaganda about the importance of not engaging Taiwan, yet it doesn’t mean such fears are a part of a propaganda network. Trump tweeted Sunday. “I don’t think so!”

But questions remain as to whether the call signaled a foreign policy shift in a new administration or a blunder by an inexperienced politician and transition staff.

As president-elect, Trump can expect some forgiveness even when he is shooting from the hip.