Trump agrees to honor "One China Policy" in Thursday's phone-call

It's raised eyebrows.
U.S. President Donald Trump has agreed to honor the long-standing "One-China policy,"
a key demand of Beijing's... that Washington should not recognize a separate government
in Taiwan.
President Trump reportedly made the commitment on Thursday in a phone call with his Chinese
counterpart, Xi Jinping.
In both word and action, he'd previously called that commitment into question.
Our Kim Jung-soo has the details.
According to the White House,...
President Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the phone Thursday evening,
U.S. local time,... marking the first official phone call between the two leaders.
Xi reportedly expressed his willingness to engage in mutual cooperative relations, while
Trump was said to have acknowledged the importance of the U.S.-China relationship.
Notably, Trump said he will respect the "One China policy," which demands that Washington
does not recognize Taiwan as a separate and sovereign state.
The conversation suggests that U.S.-China relations may not in fact be headed for the
possible breakdown signaled when President-elect Trump broke with precedent and accepted a
phone call from Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen on December 2nd to congratulate him on his
election victory.
The move sparked fierce criticism from the Chinese authorities, as Washington had severed
official diplomatic ties with Taiwan back in 1979.
And on December 11th, Trump said during an interview with Fox News that he saw "no reason"
why the U.S. should continue respecting the One-China policy.
In response, China made its stance clear during a January press conference just days before
his inauguration.
" If anyone attempts to damage the One-China principle or if they are under the illusion
they can use this as a bargaining chip, they will be opposed by the Chinese government
and people.
In the end it will be like lifting a rock to drop it on one's own feet."
According to many pundits, however, the conversation with President Xi has had the effect of relieving
some of those tensions.
In an interview with the British daily The Telegraph, senior advisor for Asia at the
Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Bonnie Glaser, said the two
sides can now "get down to business and discuss how to manage their differences," likely referring
to North Korea or the South China Sea.
Also in the phone call, the two leaders reportedly invited each other to visit their respective
countries.
Kim Jung-soo, Arirang News.

Trump agrees to honor "One China Policy" in Thursday's phone-call

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