Donald Trump has sparked a major diplomatic row with China. The US president-elect breached protocol by accepting a phone call from the leader of Taiwan, a country which China views as a breakaway state.
China has lodged a protest with the United States over the call between Mr Trump and Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"We have already made solemn representations about it to the relevant US side. It must be pointed out that there is only one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory," the statement said.
"We urge the relevant parties in the US to abide by the commitment to the one-China policy" and "to handle Taiwan-related issues with caution and care to avoid unnecessarily interfering with the overall situation of Sino-US relations," it said.
Mr Trump's telephone call with Ms Tsai broke with decades of foreign policy and fuelled fears he is improvising on international affairs.
China regards self-ruling Taiwan as part of its own territory awaiting reunification under Beijing's rule, any US move that would imply support for independence would likely trigger fury.
During yesterdayy's discussion, Mr Trump and Ms Tsai noted "the close economic, political and security ties" between Taiwan and the US, according to the president-elect's office.
China's foreign minister Wang Yi had earlier labelled the call a "ploy by the Taiwan side that simply cannot change ... the One China framework".
Washington cut formal diplomatic relations with the island in 1979 and recognises Beijing as the sole government of "One China" - while keeping friendly, non-official ties with Taipei.
But since coming to office this year, Ms Tsai has refused to accept the "One China" concept, prompting Beijing to cut off all official communication with the island's new government.
As he came under fire for the move, Mr Trump defended his decision to speak with Ms Tsai, saying the island's president initiated the call and brushed off the resulting criticism.
The President of Taiwan CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2016
Alex Huang, a spokesman for Tsai, said: "Of course both sides agreed ahead of time before making contact."
Later, Taiwan's policy making body on China said Beijing must look at the call "calmly".
"We call on China to face the new situation in the Asia-Pacific region and work with us towards developing a benign cross-strait relationship," the Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement, referring to the stretch of water between the two sides.
China considers Taiwan a wayward province and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under its control. Relations between the two sides have worsened since Ms Tsai, who heads the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, was elected president in January.
Arms supplier
Washington remains Taiwan's most important political ally and sole arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, the irony of which was not lost on Mr Trump.
Interesting how the U.S. sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2016
Mr Trump has eschewed tradition in other calls with foreign leaders since he won the US election, prompting the White House to encourage him to make use of the diplomatic expertise and counsel of the State Department.
The White House said after Mr Trump's call that "longstanding policy" on China and Taiwan had not changed.
"We remain firmly committed to our 'one China' policy," said Ned Price, a national security spokesman for President Barack Obama. "Our fundamental interest is in peaceful and stable cross-Strait relations."
Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway said on CNN that Mr Trump was "well aware of what US policy has been" on Taiwan.
Administration officials said Mr Trump's team did not alert the White House about the call ahead of time.
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