Don’t ‘play with fire’, China tells US and South Korea over Taiwan concerns
- Beijing says the island is a domestic issue and other countries should be cautious
- Warning follows joint trip to Washington by South Korean president
China warned the United States and South Korea against “playing with fire” on Monday, after Taiwan was mentioned in a joint statement by the two allies.
“China has taken notice of the US-Korea joint statement and we express concern,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in Beijing.
“The issue of Taiwan is purely domestic and concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and thus shall not be interfered with by any external forces. We urge relevant countries to be cautious about their words and actions on Taiwan and not to play with fire.”
00:51
Chinese military activity around Taiwan ‘potentially destabilising’, White House says
The two sides pledged to maintain peace and stability, lawful unimpeded commerce, and respect for international law, including freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea and beyond, according to the statement.