Beijing Concerned Over Docking Of US Navy Research Ship In Taiwan - Foreign Ministry

Beijing has expressed its concern over the presence of a US vessel in the Taiwanese port of Kaohsiung and called on Washington and Taipei to stop all military contacts, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang said on Wednesday.

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th October, 2018) Beijing has expressed its concern over the presence of a US vessel in the Taiwanese port of Kaohsiung and called on Washington and Taipei to stop all military contacts, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang said on Wednesday.

Thomas G. Thompson, the US research vessel, docked at Kaohsiung on Monday. According to Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, the ship's presence in the port is not related to the Taiwan-US defense cooperation and pursues exclusively scientific purposes.

"We have paid our attention to the relevant reports and express our deep concern to the United States in this regard. China opposes any forms of military ties between Taiwan and the United States and urge the United States to truthfully adhere to the One China policy, halt any official and military contacts with Taiwan and cautiously approach the Taiwan issue," the diplomat said.

The ship is expected to leave the Taiwanese port on Thursday and move on to Australia.

Although this is not the first time Thomas G. Thompson docks in Taiwan, the incident takes place amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington over trade and recent US sanctions imposed on China's state unit for buying Russian weapons.

The United States recognizes Beijing's authority over Taiwan, but continues to maintain economic and cultural relations with the island via the American Institute in Taiwan.