China warns US against attempt to rename TECRO

BEIJING - China on Monday warned the United States against any attempt to elevate relations in essence or engage in official interactions with Taiwan, including allowing the change of the name of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the United States.

China has lodged solemn representations with the United States over media reports that the Biden administration is considering allowing the Taiwan authority to rename TECRO as the "Taiwan Representative Office", the Chinese foreign ministry's spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a press briefing.

Zhao said the one-China principle is the political foundation of China-US relations, and the China-US Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations clearly states that the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan.

On Sept 10, US President Joe Biden said in a phone call with President Xi Jinping that the United States has no intention to change the one-China policy, Zhao added.

He said the United States should abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, honor its commitments with concrete actions, stop all forms of official exchanges with Taiwan, and stop elevating substantive relations with Taiwan.

This should include refraining from renaming TECRO in the United States as "Taiwan Representative Office" and stopping sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, Zhao said.

"The United States should handle the Taiwan question in a prudent manner, lest it should seriously undermine China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Zhao said.