China should take action if Taipei's Washington diplomatic office renamed: Chinese media

The Biden administration is considering a request from Taiwan to rename Taipei’s diplomatic office in Washington. China has reportedly criticised the move and warned the US government against going ahead with the renaming plan. A Chinese state-sponsored media outlet Global Times in their editorial has warned that if the US and Taiwan go ahead with the plan to rename Taipei's diplomatic mission in Washington, the Chinese government will have to take "severe economic and military measures" to fight the decision of the US.

Reportedly, the Biden administration is considering the request by Taiwan to change the name of its embassy in the US from the "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office" to "Taiwan Representative Office", Global Times cited Financial Times report. It is also reported that White House Asia adviser Kurt Campbell has also backed the request and even National Security Council and State Department has also given support for the move. As per the Financial Times report, the US President has not made any decision yet and it would require him to sign an executive order for allowing the renaming of diplomatic office. 

Renaming the diplomatic office

As the Chinese government has always maintained that Taiwan is part of their country, A Chinese Embassy spokesperson told The Financial Times that the US must stop sending the wrong message towards Taiwan's independence. The United States and Taiwan have not made a comment responding to any such development. The Global Times in their editorial explained that a renaming of the diplomatic office would signify the United States "basic abandonment of its one-China policy". The media outlet has mentioned that the Chinese authorities should respond in the way they responded to Lithuania. Earlier, a similar decision of  Lithuania had sparked a diplomatic reaction, with China recalling its ambassador to Lithuania. The media outlet suggested some ways in which China can take action against the US and Taiwan, that include imposing economic sanctions on the island.

Image: AP