China has lodged protest against the visit of a Taiwanese Parliamentary delegation and has asked India to follow One-China Policy.
New Delhi (Sputnik) – "China had lodged a solemn representation with India to not have any official contact with Taiwan. China has always opposed any kind of official contact between Taiwan and any countries that have diplomatic ties with China," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shung told media.
Geng further added that, "We hope that India would understand and respect China’s core concerns and stick to the One China principle and prudently deal with Taiwan related issues and maintain sound and steady development of India-China relations."
However, India has dismissed that the visit of delegations from Taiwanese is not new phenomena and such informal groups have visited earlier also.
"We understand that a group of Taiwanese academics and business persons, including a couple of legislators, is visiting India. Such informal groups have visited India in the past as well for business, religious and tourist purposes. I understand that they do so to China as well. There is nothing new or unusual about such visits and political meanings should not be read into them, “Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Vikas Swarup said on Wednesday.
A Taiwanese delegation has arrived in India on Monday for a three days visit.
India and Taiwan has cordial relations but have no formal diplomatic ties. There is only a Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in New Delhi.
India's relations with Taiwan and Tibet have been a bone of contention between India and China as China considers it against its One-China Policy.
This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.