China says it will block Taiwan’s bid to join trade group

Taiwanese bananas for sale are on display at a fruit stall in Taipei, Taiwan (Chiang Ying-ying/AP)

Beijing said it will block Taiwan’s application to join a Pacific Rim trade initiative, citing as its reason the island’s refusal to concede that it is a part of China.

The Cabinet’s Taiwan Affairs Office on Wednesday said Taiwan’s participation in regional trade cooperation is based on the “one China principle”.