China on Wednesday condemned a U.S. congratulatory statement to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on the commencement of her second term in office, saying the move "seriously interfered in" the country's internal affairs.
"There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, reiterating its mantra about the self-governing, democratic island.
Beijing urges Washington to "stop interfering in China's internal affairs and stop any words and deeds that would harm the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait and Sino-U.S. relations," the ministry said.
[Photo courtesy of the presidential office]
China's Defense Ministry also said the nation's military has "sufficient capacity to thwart any form of external interference" in support of Taiwan's independence, adding it will take "all necessary measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty."
Regarding Taiwan, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday in a statement, "We have a shared vision for the region -- one that includes rule of law, transparency, prosperity, and security for all."
"I am confident that, with President Tsai at the helm, our partnership with Taiwan will continue to flourish," Pompeo added.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has been forging close relations with Taiwan, while ties between Washington and Beijing have been frayed by disputes over issues such as trade, security and the current coronavirus pandemic.
Taiwan and mainland China have been separately governed since they split amid a civil war in 1949. Their relationship has deteriorated under independence-leaning Tsai, who has served as Taiwan's leader since 2016.
In Taiwan, fears are lingering that the Communist-led Chinese government, led by President Xi Jinping, will try to achieve its cherished goal of reuniting the island with the mainland, by force if needed, foreign affairs experts say.
Tsai won the presidential election in January, defeating her main rival by a wide margin. Her second and final four-year term began Wednesday.
In her inauguration speech after taking the oath of office at her swearing-in ceremony in Taipei, Tsai called for dialogue with China but rejected unification with the mainland under Beijing's "one country, two systems" principle.
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