WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Friday signed legislation that would allow U.S. officials to travel to Taiwan to meet their Taiwanese counterparts, a move certain to anger China, which views Taiwan as a wayward province.

The bill, which is non-binding, would have gone into effect on Saturday morning, even if Trump had not signed it, said the White House.

The move adds to strains between the two countries over trade, as Trump has enacted tariffs and called for China to reduce its trade imbalance with the United States, even while Washington has leaned on Beijing to help resolve tensions with North Korea.

On Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang reiterated that Beijing was opposed to the legislation and urged the United States to abide by the "one China" policy and cease official exchanges with Taiwan.

The United States does not have formal ties with Taiwan but is required by law to help it with self-defense and is the island’s primary source of weapons.

ワシントン（DC）のドナルド・トランプ大統領は、米国の当局者が台湾を台湾に迎え入れるための法案を可決した。

拘束力のない法案は、たとえトランプがそれに署名していなくても、土曜日の朝に発効するだろう、とホワイトハウスは述べた。

この動きは、トレードが関税を制定し、米国との貿易不均衡を緩和するよう、中国が北朝鮮との緊張を解決するために北京に傾いている間でさえも、両国間の貿易上の緊張に加わる。

中国外務省の姜康（ホン・カン）外務省報道官は、金曜日、北京はこの法案に反対し、米国に「ワン中国」政策を遵守し、台湾との公式交換を中止するよう求めた。

米国は台湾との公式の関係はないが、法律で自衛を支援することが求められており、島の主要武器源である。