China slams US for hosting Taiwan President

China on Monday slammed the US for allowing Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen to meet American officials, warning Washington its ties with Beijing will be hit if it didn't stick to "One China Policy."

China is opposed to the Taiwan leader's contact with US officials in any form, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

The Taiwan President halted in the US on her way to Central America.

"We urge the US and relevant people to stick to the One China policy and the three China-US joint communiques, and carefully handle issues related to Taiwan, in order not to harm China-US relations and cross-Strait peace and prosperity," Lu said

Amid China's strong objections to Tsai's plan to visit the US, the first woman President of the self-governed island met Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Senator Ted Cruz.

Taiwan is a breakaway island which China claims as its own and objects to any country keeping diplomatic ties with Taipei.

Ties between US and China -- the world's two largest economies -- have been sliding after President-elect Donald J. Trump spoke to Tsai on the phone.

No US President has spoken to Taiwan's head since 1979.

The two countries have traded barbs ever since the Trump-Tsai telephonic talk.

--IANS

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