Washington draws flak for sending wrong signal

China voiced its firm opposition to military collusion between the Taiwan region and the United States, and urged the U.S. to adhere to the one-China principle.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian made the remarks on Friday, as reports said Taiwan's "navy chief" Tang Hua will visit the U.S. next week.

Tang will attend a military ceremony and discuss how to boost naval cooperation between the island and the U.S., Reuters reported.

"There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-U.S. ties," Lin said, commenting on the media reports.

Lin urged the U.S. to fully understand the high sensitivity of the Taiwan question and to immediately cut official exchanges and military connections with Taiwan.

The U.S. should deliver on its promise by observing the one-China principle and stipulations in the three China-U.S. joint communiques, and refrain from sending any wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatists, Lin added.

Citing sources who had been briefed on the trip, Reuters reported that Tang would visit Hawaii, home of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, for a Pacific Fleet change-of-command ceremony. Tang would then be expected to attend the April 8-10 Sea-Air-Space conference near Washington. Talks were also underway to arrange a meeting with the U.S. chief of naval operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti.

Both Taiwan's "navy" and the Pentagon declined to comment, Reuters reported.

The island and Washington have expanded their military cooperation since its outgoing leader Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016.