Taiwan wants its US office to be renamed; China retaliates: Report

Reports say the Biden administration is considering a request from the Taiwan government to change the name of its mission in Washington from Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office to Taiwan Representative Office.

China has reportedly hit out at the move and warned the US government not to intervene in the One-China policy. Reports added that the US government is "seriously considering" allowing Taiwan to use its name which is being widely seen as a symbolic gesture amid tensions with China.

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The US had repeatedly stressed its support for Taiwan maintaining that it is "rock solid". Taiwan had earlier opened a representative office in Lithuania and named it "Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania".

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China reacted angrily as it recalled its envoy from the country and imposed sanctions on Lithuania, however, the country's foreign minister backed the move amid tensions with China although he added thatLithuania is keen on finding a diplomatic solution to the tussle with China.

China considers Taiwan as a breakaway province and has vowed to unify the country with the mainland by force if necessary. Taiwan's relations with China has been going downhill for the past few years even as the US government has sold several state of the art arms to the country amid China's threat.

The US government had recently approved howitzers and munitions kit worth $750 millionand given advanced jets to the country. Amid tensions with Taiwan, Chinese jets have repeatedly entered Taipei's airspace in the past year raising tensions between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Taiwan began its five-day military exercise on Monday with live-fire drills. The drillinvolved fighter jets and Naval ships. Taiwan also deployed the C-130 transport aircraft as it conducted a simulated Chinese attack.

(With inputs from Agencies)