WASHINGTON, April 5: US President George W. Bush publicly called Taiwan a country by the name of “the Republic of Taiwan,” a move expected to draw protests from Beijing.

In a speech on Thursday calling on the Senate to pass trade promotion authority, Bush referred to Taiwan as a country as he commended the US efforts in bringing China and Taiwan into the World Trade Organisation.

“We helped bring China and Taiwan into the World Trade Organisation. And that’s good, that’s important to recognise and to welcome both countries, both the Republic of Taiwan, and of course China, into the World Trade Organisation,” he said at the State Department.

Bush’s remark came as a surprise since the president had guaranteed to follow “one China principle,” which has emerged as Washington’s official line since it switched its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

White House national security spokesman Sean McCormack urged reporters travelling with Bush in Texas not to read anything into the apparent slip of the tongue.—AFP