China won’t tolerate any ‘separatist schemes,’ Beijing warns Taipei

Mainland China has warned self-ruled Taiwan that it has zero tolerance for any “separatist schemes” amid mounting tensions between the two sides over a US bill that seeks to improve ties between Washington and Taipei.

Beijing issued the warning in a report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang to the opening of the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s legislature, on Monday.

“We will remain firm in safeguarding China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and will never tolerate any separatist schemes or activities for Taiwan independence,” Li said.

Li also said Beijing would promote the “peaceful growth” of relations across the Taiwan Strait and “advance China’s peaceful reunification.”

“As fellow Chinese living on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, we share a bond of kinship. As long as we go with the tide of history and work together for our nation’s greater good, we will together create the future - a beautiful future of national rejuvenation,” according to the text of the report.

Beijing regards Taiwan as an integral part of “One China” and ineligible for formal state-to-state ties.

The proposed US bill, which only needs President Donald Trump’s signature to become law, states that the US policy should allow officials at all levels to visit Taiwan and meet their Taiwanese counterparts, permit high-level Taiwanese officials to enter the US “under respectful conditions” and meet with American officials.

Angered by the American bill, Beijing on Friday told Taiwan that it would only get burnt if it sought to rely on foreigners, without mentioning the US legislation.

Taipei, however, has welcomed the proposed legislation in Washington, with which it has no formal ties.

Trump angered China in December 2016, when he won US presidential election, by taking a congratulatory call from Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen, during which they also discussed politics, economy and security in Asia-Pacific.

This marked the first time since 1979 that a US head of state had directly spoken with a Taiwanese president.

The US president later reaffirmed Washington’s continued commitment to the “One China” policy, but the new US bill threatens to stir political tensions over the issue once again.

China’s tensions with Taiwan have intensified since the election into office of Tsai from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party in 2016.

Beijing suspects Tsai intends to press for the formal independence of the island, which it considers a red line.

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