Posted on 12/02/2016 3:14:03 PM PST by mandaladon
President-elect Donald Trump spoke with the president of Taiwan by phone on Friday, in a move likely to infuriate Beijing and hinder US-China relations.
"President-elect Trump spoke with President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan, who offered her congratulations," according to a readout of the call released by Trump's transition team.
"During the discussion, they noted the close economic, political, and security ties" between Taiwan and the United States, the statement continued. "President-elect Trump also congratulated President Tsai on becoming President of Taiwan earlier this year."
The call, first reported by the Financial Times, is the first time a US president has directly spoken with Taiwan's leadership in more than 30 years.
The US suspended formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 after establishing a One China position which states that "there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China" in an effort to establish diplomatic channels with Beijing.
Beijing views Taiwan as a province of China, whereas Taiwan which has its own democratically elected government has a more complicated view of the nations' relationship.
Ing-wen, who was elected the first female president of Taiwan in May, told The Washington Post over the summer that she hopes Chinese President Xi Jinping "can appreciate that Taiwan is a democratic society in which the leader has to follow the will of the people."
Analysts were quick to point out that the phone call will likely infuriate Beijing.
"Trump has phone call w Taiwan President, 1st by US Pres or Pres-elect since 1979," goepolitical expert Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group, tweeted on Friday. "Beijing will be absolutely incensed."
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
Yep, 1986. We havent had a President since Reagan who was worth a d$@RMN.
I’m glad President -elect Trump is not acting like a Neville Chamberlain. Amazing how the Lefties are saying he is going to start a shooting war with China!!!. The same mindset said the same thing about President Reagan. The STUPID doesn’t stop, does it!
What’s China gonna do? Cut off the cheap goods flowing to Target who we are blackballing? Quit selling their sometimes dog skin leathers to us in the better stores?
She called Trump. Anyway good for him.
Good, infuriate the hell out those @ssholes!!!!!!
He already has with his daughter present for the meeing.
It’s interesting that the Dems’ panties are in wads over Trump respecting a democracy like Taiwan, but are OK with Obama sucking up to communist Cuba.
Thank you, DJT; it’s about time!
China is protesting to their collaborators here: globalist traitors, “useful idiot” leftist media, etc.
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