China rebuked on Thursday a measure passed by the U.S. Senate promoting closer ties between Washington and Taiwan, calling it a violation of the “One China” policy that has governed relations between the U.S. and Beijing for decades.
“China is strongly dissatisfied with this and resolutely opposes it, and has already lodged stern representations with the U.S. side,” Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China’s foreign minister, told reporters at a news briefing, according to Reuters.
Hua’s comments came a day after the Senate unanimously passed the Taiwan Travel Act, which promotes visits between U.S. and Taiwanese officials at all levels and encourages Taiwanese cultural and economic representatives to conduct business in the U.S.
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The House passed the measure last month. With the Senate’s approval, it now goes to President Trump’s desk for signing.
Hua said the measure was not legally binding and urged the U.S. to cut off official exchanges with Taiwan or risk damaging ties with Beijing.
Taiwan is a sore spot for Chinese relations because it is considered a rogue province by Beijing, rather than an independent country.
President Trump angered Chinese leaders in the weeks after winning the 2016 presidential election when he took a congratulatory phone call with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. That call prompted China’s foreign ministry to lodge a formal complaint with the U.S.