Pence terms Trump's talk with Taiwan leader a 'courtesy call'

Washington D.C. [United States], Dec. 4 (ANI): U.S. Vice President-elect Mike Pence has termed President-elect Donald Trump's conversation with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen as "a courtesy call" of the democratically-elected president of Taiwan. "This was a courtesy call of the democratically-elected president of Taiwan, and a call to congratulate the President-elect," CNN quoted Pence, as saying. He said that Trump's decision to accept a call from the leader of Taiwan didn't necessarily reflect a shift away from the "One-China" policy. No U.S. President or president-elect has spoken to a Taiwanese leader since 1979. The United States had acknowledged Taiwan as part of China by accepting a set of protocols known as "One China Policy". China immediately got in touch with President Barack Obama's administration following the conversation. "I think I would just say to our counterparts in China that this was a moment of courtesy. The President-elect talked to President Xi (Jinping) two weeks ago in the same manner that was not a discussion about policy," Pence said. "And we're going to be preparing after January 20 to advance now what will be President Trump's agenda on the world stage and we'll deal with policy at that time," he added. Pense compared the media coverage of Trump's Taiwan call with Obama's policy changes toward Cuba before the death of Fidel Castro when he was asked whether the President-elect will call Chinese leaders to calm the issue. "I wouldn't expect so. But to be honest with you, the waters here seem like a little bit of a tempest in a teapot," he said. Describing the conversations as a courtesy conversation that were part and parcel of beginning the kind of relationships which will allow the new President to advance America's interests in the world, Pense said that Trump has already spoken to more than 50 leaders around the world. (ANI)