Taiwan braces as China's Yang speaks of 'ties with all countries'

Taipei - Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, in an obvious warning to Taiwan, said China is ready to launch diplomatic ties with all countries, the Central News Agency (CNA) reported on Monday. Yang, who is visiting South Africa at the start of a four African nation tour, made the remark to CNA reporter's question, at his news conference in Johannesburg.

The CNA reporter asked Yang if China was planning to launch diplomatic ties with Malawi and was offering six billion US dollars to Malawi in exchange for Malawi's cutting ties with China.

Yang did not answer the question, but said: "China does things according to principle. The 'one China' principle has been accepted by the international community. This is a fact."

"China is ready to strengthen and launch diplomatic ties with all countries," Yang added.

Yang also refused to answer the question of when Beijing was going to announce the establishment of diplomatic ties with Malawi.

South Africa is the first stop on Yang's January 7-11 four-nation tour which will also take him to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Egypt.

His visit comes amid reports that Malawi is considering ditching its 41-year ties Taiwan in favour of China.

Malawi sent two ministers to Beijing on December 24 to sign a memorandum of understand to pave the way for launching ties, and a Malawian official said his country will announce opening ties with Beijing this month.

China is stepping up its diplomatic offensive against Taiwan - which it considers part of its territory - by trying to persuade the 24 countries which recognize Taipei to switch to Beijing.