China denounced U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo for referring to Taiwan’s leader Tsai Ing-wen as “president,” vowing to “take necessary countermeasures” in response

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said a statement by Pompeo congratulating Tsai on her second term as president “seriously violated” the one-China principle and agreements that underpinned the establishment of relations between the two sides. While the U.S. has carefully crafted interactions with Taipei to avoid recognising its government, Pompeo’s statement Tuesday referred to Tsai as president and called Taiwan a “force for good in the world and a reliable partner.”

“China urges the U.S. side to immediately correct its mistakes,” the ministry said in a statement posted on its website Wednesday. “The Chinese side will take necessary countermeasures to respond to the above-mentioned erroneous actions by the U.S. side. And the U.S. side should bear the consequences arising therefrom.”