Trump clear on China's stance on call with Taiwan's Tsai: ministry

"The world is very clear on China's solemn position. The US side, including president elect Trump's team, is very clear China's solemn position on this issue," said foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang at a regular press briefing in Beijing.

Taiwan is the most sensitive issue between China and the United States, he said.

He did not elaborate on how China had made its position clear to Trump and his team, and declined to speculate about what was behind the call between Trump and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.

The unusual call prompted China to lodge "stern representations" with the "relevant U.S. side" on Saturday.

U.S. Vice President-elect Mike Pence played down the significance of the call with Tsai, saying it was a "courtesy" call, not intended to show a shift in U.S. policy on China.

China's state press on Monday also sought to minimize the telephone call's importance, saying it merely reflected Trump's foreign affairs inexperience, not a shift in U.S. policy toward Taiwan, which China sees as a breakaway province.

(Reporting by Christian Shepherd)