China says US will ‘pay dearly’ if its UN ambassador goes to Taiwan

United Nations, Jan 7 (efe-epa).- China warned the United States on Thursday that “it will pay dearly” if its ambassador to the UN, Kelly Craft, visits Taiwan, as she plans to do next week.

In a statement, the Chinese mission to the United Nations urged the US to “stop its mad provocation, not to create new difficulties in China-US relations and in the cooperation of the two countries in the United Nations, and to stop going the wrong way.”

“We want to remind the United States that whoever plays with fire gets burned. The United States will pay dearly for its wrong action,” the Chinese delegation said through a spokesperson.

Craft’s trip to Taiwan was announced by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and confirmed Thursday by the country’s mission to the United Nations, which specified that the visit would take place between Jan. 13 and Jan. 15. It would nclude meetings with senior Taiwanese officials and members of the diplomatic community.

According to the US, the ambassador will use the visit to underline Washington’s support for greater participation by Taiwan in the international arena.

Taiwan is considered a sovereign territory with its own government and political system under the name of the Republic of China since the end of the civil war between nationalists and communists in 1949. However, Beijing maintains that it is a rebellious province and insists that it return to what it calls the common homeland.

The Donald Trump administration has given priority to strengthening relations with Taiwan, including arms sales, despite the fact that in 1979 Washington broke off relations with Taipei, which became informal, after recognizing the People’s Republic.

In its statement, the Chinese mission to the UN stressed that it rejects “any form of official contact between the United States and the Taiwan region” and accused Washington of trying to use the Taiwanese issue to damage the “fundamental interests” of China. EFE-EPA

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