Trump conversation with Taiwan president a ‘courtesy call’

China has called on the United States not to let Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen transit there when she visits Guatemala next month, days after President-elect Donald Trump irked Beijing by speaking to Ms Tsai in a break with decades of precedent.

The US does not formally recognise Taiwan and officially cleaves to a One China policy that says Beijing is the legitimate government.

Since his surprise November 8 victory Trump has accepted congratulatory calls from numerous leaders, including the prime ministers or presidents of Israel, Singapore, Japan and China, Conway said. “We remain firmly committed to our “one China” policy based on the three Joint Communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act”.

The China Daily editorial said Tsai will achieve “nothing substantial but illusionary pride” from the call with Trump.

“The whole world knows about the Chinese government’s position on the Taiwan issue”.

“I think it was a terrific message to them that we’re no longer going to be pushovers, and there’s going to be consequences for their hostile and aggressive actions”, Rohrabacher, a 69-year-old California Republican told Fox News on December 5.

Although Italy is being cited as the main factor behind market declines, the Trump comments China are no doubt contributing to investor caution in Asia.

“I would much rather have Donald Trump talking to President Tsai than to Cuba’s Raul Castro or Iran’s Hasan Rouhani”, Senator Ted Cruz tweeted on Saturday. At July’s Republican National Convention, the party platform included a phrase, inserted by Trump allies, that reaffirmed assurances made to Taiwan by President Ronald Reagan in 1982, as well as tougher language toward China. “I don’t think so!”

Former British Labour Party leader Ed Miliband commented: “Trump railing against China on Twitter like it is a Celebrity Apprentice feud is not amusing, but deeply, deeply worrying for the world”.

China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei claim parts or all of the energy-rich South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually. Even the Obama administration was left perplexed as to why he would go against the U.S.’ 40-year-old policy and speak to the Taiwanese president. Bush administration, said he hoped the USA and Taiwan would take advantage of the opportunity as a starting point to effectively expand their bilateral relations.

The diplomatic contretemps was one of several recently for Trump, a real estate magnate who has never held public office and has no foreign affairs or military experience.

Asked on ABC’s “This Week” whether Trump would make good on that pledge, Pence said decisions on policy would come after Trump takes office on January 20.

Mr Trump’s transition team said that during the call the two leaders noted that “close economic, political and security ties exist between Taiwan and the United States”. China considers Taiwan a part of mainland China.

Tsai also told Trump that she hoped the USA would support Taiwan in its participation in worldwide affairs, the office said, in an apparent reference to China’s efforts to isolate Taiwan from global institutions such as the United Nations.

China sees the phone call as a breach of protocol. For now, China is placing the blame for the phone call on Taiwan, saying it was a “small trick”.

Pence was asked directly if there were any implications for the “One China” policy.