Trump questions US commitment to ‘one-China’ policy

US President-elect Donald Trump has questioned America’s commitment to the “one-China” principle in the China-Taiwan row, saying Washington should only side with Beijing on certain conditions.

Trump made the remarks in an interview with Fox News on Sunday, about a week after angering China with a controversial phone conversation with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.

“I fully understand the ‘one-China policy,’ but I don’t know why we have to be bound by a ‘one-China policy’ unless we make a deal with China having to do with other things, including trade,” the Republican president-elect said.

The conversation between Trump and Tsai was a first by a US president or president-elect since Washington cut ties with Taipei in 1979 and committed to the “one-China” principle, which recognizes Taiwan as a part of China.

Infuriated by Trump’s move, Beijing urged American officials to avoid sending “any wrong signals to ‘Taiwan independence’ forces.”

Tsai herself tried to calm the situation in a press conference on Tuesday, telling reporters that she only wanted to congratulate Trump on his November 8 election victory.

However, Trump said Sunday that he did not see a reason for not taking a phone call from Taiwanese leaders.

“I don’t want China dictating to me and this was a call put into me,” the New York businessman said. “It was a very nice call. Short. And why should some other nation be able to say I can’t take a call?”

“I think it actually would’ve been very disrespectful, to be honest with you, not taking it,” Trump added.

He also criticized China’s foreign policy, including sensitive issues such as the South China Sea dispute and Beijing’s stance regarding North Korea.

Additionally, the incoming US president repeated his accusations of currency devaluation against China.

Earlier this month, Trump went on a Twitter outburst against Beijing, accusing it of devaluing yuan, a move that Washington says is done to favor Chinese exporters at the expense of their foreign competitors.

Despite trying to calm the tensions, the administration of US President Barack Obama has also challenged the one-China policy by authorizing military deals with Taiwan. (Press TV)