BEIJING, August 18. /TASS/. The trade talks that the United States and the current administration of Taiwan are going to hold in the autumn will negatively affect Sino-US economic relations in general, Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokeswoman Shu Jueting said on Thursday. She warned that the Chinese authorities would take the maximum possible countermeasures,
"This will affect Sino-US bilateral relations and have an adverse effect on trade and economic relations between China and the United States," she told a weekly briefing, when asked how China’s Ministry of Commerce saw such plans by Washington and Taipei. "The Chinese side will take all necessary retaliatory measures. We will firmly defend our sovereignty, national security and development interests."
Shu said the US authorities should be extremely cautious about the Taiwan issue, as it is "the most delicate and key problem for Beijing."
"The United States must abide by the agreements with China and demonstrate in reality the lack of support for the proponents of so-called Taiwan independence, just as the US leadership said," Shu added.
Taipei and Washington will hold the first round of talks in the autumn on the way to a major bilateral trade deal, Taiwan's Central News Agency said on Thursday. The point at issue is what has been called US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade. The parties agreed to promote cooperation on eleven tracks, including the improvement of the regulatory framework in the trade sector, digital commerce, anti-corruption measures, environmental and agricultural issues, and encouragement of small and medium-sized businesses.
Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the Kuomintang’s remaining forces under Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) were defeated in the Chinese Civil War and took refuge on the island. Taiwan has preserved the flag and several other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed before the Communists took over the mainland. According to China’s official position supported by most countries, including Russia, the Island of Taiwan is one of China’s provinces.