Trump taunts China on Twitter
WASHINGTON US President-elect Donald Trump has fired off another Twitter broadside, attacking China over alleged currency manipulation and foreign policy, as the world waits to see who he will pick for the role of secretary of state.
After his Twitter activity on Sunday, relations with the US' top trading partner may be headed for a downturn, with the businessman-turned-politician accusing Beijing of expansionism and fiddling with the exchange rate, AFP reported.
"Did China ask us if it was okay to devalue their currency (making it hard for our companies to compete), heavily tax our products going into their country (the US doesn't tax them) or build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea?" he demanded, and then adding: "I don't think so!"
The taunt came two days after Mr Trump provoked a rebuke from China by accepting a call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen - the first such call in four decades.
China regards self-ruling Taiwan as part of its own territory awaiting reunification, and any US move implying support for independence is gravely offensive to Beijing.
The US does not formally recognise Taiwan and officially cleaves to a One China policy that says Beijing is the legitimate government.
In practice, the island enjoys many of the trappings of a full diplomatic relationship with the US.
Mr Trump's incoming Vice-President, Mr Mike Pence, played down the call's significance. He described it as a courtesy and said any new policy on China would be decided after Mr Trump's inauguration.
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