US Playing With Fire in Taiwan Strait, Undermining Relations - Chinese Ministry

BEIJING (Sputnik) - The United States' actions in the Taiwan Strait are precarious and are undermining US-Chinese relations as well as regional stability, Chinese Defence Ministry Spokesman Wu Qian said.

"The American side has been recently making vain attempts to enslave China with the hands of the Chinese themselves, these are unrealistic dreams … With these actions the United States is playing with fire and undermining the continued development of Chinese-American relations, as well as peace and stability in the region", Wu said during his briefing.

He also stressed that Taiwan was a part of China and therefore was something that fell within the national interest. Wu noted that since the "One China" policy had been accepted by the whole international community, it was also the foundation for US-Chinese relations.

The statement comes after Taiwanese national security chief David Lee reportedly met with his US counterpart, John Bolton, during his 13-21 May visit to the United States. On Monday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry condemned the talks and said Beijing was against any official meetings between the United States and Taiwan.

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On 20 May, the Chinese Defence Ministry said that the US guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG-88) had entered the waters adjacent to Chinese territorial islands and reefs in the South China Sea without Beijing's permission. China characterised these actions as provocation, while the US side said everything had been done as governed by international law.

Taiwan is an island nation off the southern coast of China that has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan maintains that it is an autonomous state, having political and economic relations with numerous other countries that recognise its sovereignty.