Cold War is over, Beijing tells US

China has blasted Donald Trump’s new national defence act that commits the US to stronger military support for Taiwan.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaking during her visit to Los Angeles, California. Picture: AFP

China has blasted Donald Trump’s new national defence act that commits the US to stronger military support for Taiwan and puts Chinese companies wanting to invest in the US under closer scrutiny.

China’s Foreign Ministry said it was “strongly dissatisfied” with the new law, which the US President signed this week.

It called on America to “abandon its Cold War mindset and zero-sum philosophy and view China and Sino-US relations in an objective perspective”.

“The Chinese side has repeatedly made clear its position and lodged stern representations with the US side,” a spokesman said. “We are strongly dissatisfied with the US’s bent on passing and signing the National Defense Authorisation Act for fiscal year 2019 which includes negative China-related content in disregard of China’s firm ­opposition,” it said.

China’s Defence Department said the act had “jeopardised the development atmosphere in the relations between the Chinese and American militaries and hampered mutual trust and co-operation between China and the US”.

A department spokesman said China opposed any official or military ties with Taiwan and urged the US to “deal with ­Taiwan-related issues with prudence to avoid harm to the ­military relations of the two countries, as well as cross-strait stability”.

“We will never let any person, at any time or in any form, split Taiwan off from China,” he said.

Mr Trump signed the legislation into law during a visit to the US by President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan on Monday. She said that Taiwan would boost its defence spending.

The government-backed China Daily newspaper said the language in the act set a “dangerous precedent” by reviving Cold War paranoia, leading to possible arms races, regional tensions and mistrust in global relations.

It said the act contained a range of measures aimed at China, including the requirement for the US government to issue reports on China’s activities in the South China Sea and banning China from future Rim of the Pacific exercises.

The comments from Beijing are the latest in an increasingly tense relationship between China and the US over the escalating trade war.

The legislation is expected to make it harder for Chinese companies to invest in the US and vice versa.

China’s Ministry of Commerce said this week that it would closely monitor the ­impact of the new legislation on Chinese investors and companies. The ministry said that there was huge ­potential in two-way investment between the two countries as companies on both sides were keen to strengthen co-operation.

It said the two governments should listen to opinion from companies and provide a sound business environment for companies on both sides to operate.

It called on the US to “treat Chinese investors in an objective and fair way and prevent the review from blocking co-operation in investment”.