China calls on US to bar Taiwan from Trump inauguration

BEIJING / AP

China on Wednesday called on the US to bar a Taiwanese delegation from attending Donald Trump’s inauguration on Friday, underscoring concerns that the incoming president could seek to redefine relations between Beijing, Taipei and Washington.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the request had been passed to Trump’s transition team and to the current administration of Barack Obama.
“We urge the US side once again not to allow the Taiwan administration to send the so-called delegation to attend the inauguration and to avoid any forms of official exchange with Taiwan,” Hua said at a daily briefing.
China firmly opposes “anyone from the Taiwan administration engaged in activities that interfere or undermine the China-US relationship in the US under any pretext,” she said.
Delegation leader and former Premier Yu Shyi-kun departed for Washington on Monday together with politicians from both Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party and the opposition Nationalists.