The China Post
Date: December 8, 2016
By: Joseph Yeh

Taiwan’s top intelligence chief on Wednesday said the historic phone call between President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump caught China by surprise but that, so far, Beijing had shown restraint instead of overreacting.

Fielding questions during a legislative session, National Security Bureau (國安局) Director-General Peng Sheng-chu (彭勝竹) told lawmakers that Beijing’s initial reaction showed that it had not anticipated the Dec. 2 phone conversation.

“However, they (Beijing) have so far shown a certain level of restraint over the phone call,” he said.

Some Chinese scholars have expressed strong dissatisfaction over the call, but their views are not mainstream ones, he added.

But how the call will influence future Taiwan-U.S. relations remains to be seen, as Trump has yet to officially take up the presidency, Peng said.    [FULL  STORY]