China warns US not to endorse Taiwan observer status in Interpol

China on Monday in Beijing warned the U.S. not to endorse observer status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol).

Hua Chunying, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, accused President Barack Obama of signing a bill on Friday which required the U.S. Secretary of State to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in Interpol.

Interpol is an inter-governmental organization made up of sovereign states, whose charter has clear stipulations on its membership.

Hua said that China had always handled issues relating to Taiwan’s participation in international organisations in line with the one-China principle.

He said that Chinese mainland and relevant parties had made a “practical arrangement” for Taiwan to engage in cooperation with Interpol in fighting crime, which had proved to be effective.

He stressed that Taiwan issue was China’s domestic affair, and demanded that U.S. should abide by the one-China policy and the three China-U.S. joint communiques.

Hua cautioned the U.S. against speaking for Taiwan to participate in international institutions as a sovereign state, which otherwise would disrupt relationships and China-U.S. ties. (Xinhua/NAN)