The National Defense Authorization Act 2017, which President Barack Obama recently signed into law with less than a month before he leaves the White House, threatens to strongly anger China anew with a provision suggesting conduct of senior military exchanges between the U.S. and Taiwan.
China's Foreign Ministry has lodged "stern representations" with the U.S. for that particular clause of suggested high-level military exchanges with self-ruled Taiwan. China continues to insist that Taiwan is part of China, and that the U.S. should adhere to the long-time " One-China" policy, which only acknowledges Beijing as China's authority in international matters with the world.
Hua Chunying, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that China is resolutely against the Taiwan-related section in the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 and expressed the country's "strong discontent" with the U.S. for signing the act. China further said that the Taiwan issue bears on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China and falls within the jurisdiction of their domestic affairs, regardless if the Taiwan-related suggestion in the provision is legally non-binding. Hua also called it a violation of previous three joint communiques with the U.S. since it is an interference in China's domestic affairs.
China strongly said it will by no means "accept" that provision from the U.S.defense act. It also calls on the U.S. to " honor its commitment" on the Taiwan concern, and put an end to military exchanges with Taiwan and its arms sales to the self-ruled island in order to avoid "undermining" U.S.-China relations.
There have been tensions between the U.S. and China lately, after China's crew positioned in the South China Sea stole the underwater surveillance drone of the U.S., and previous to that President-elect's Donald Trump unprecedented call with Taiwan leader which China also vehemently protested. Trump stood his ground and stated China has no business dictating to him whose call to or not to take, especially from a nation like Taiwan which the U.S. does a lot of business with, more specifically on arms sales. Trump also said he could change or consider shifts in the U.S. foreign policy with China and Taiwan.
