China Threatens ‘Countermeasures,’ Says U.S. Will Bear Consequences After Pompeo Congratulates Taiwan President (Source Newsweek.com)

China threatened to take “necessary countermeasures” against the U.S. after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo congratulated Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who was sworn in on Wednesday. In a statement, China’s Ministry of National Defense called Taiwan “inalienable” and said that “the actions of the United States seriously violate the one-China principle.”

The one-China policy maintains that there is only one Chinese government, a policy the U.S. has recognized. The U.S.’s ties with China are formal, as opposed to its ties with Taiwan, which are unofficial.

Diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China have declined during the coronavirus pandemic, as President Donald Trump has blamed the Asian nation for the pandemic and accused Beijing of concealing the severity of its initial outbreak, which was in the city of Wuhan.

Support from Pompeo for Taiwan has increased tensions between the two superpowers. China views Taiwan as its territory even though it has long been a self-governed state. Taiwan has gained recent global attention because of its quick and effective response to the coronavirus outbreak there. As early as December 31, the island began monitoring and screening incoming travelers, enacting mandatory quarantines and tracking citizens through their phones. Taiwan has not reported a new confirmed case in three weeks.