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White House says they have spoken to reassure China after Donald Trump's call with Taiwan White House says they have spoken to reassure China after Donald Trump's call with Taiwan
(35 minutes later)
The White House says they have spoken with Chinese leadership following President-elect Donald Trump's call with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. The White House says they have spoken with Chinese leadership following President-elect Donald Trump's call with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. 
Sky News reports that federal officials called to reassure the country that the US still adheres to the "One China" policy, which does not recognise Taiwan as its own sovereign nation.  Reuters said that federal officials called to reassure the country that the US still adheres to the "One China" policy, which does not recognise Taiwan as its own sovereign nation. 
More follows...  White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said officials "do not understand why" Mr Trump's conversation with Taiwanese leader took place, but assured reporters that there would be no change in the official US position on the policy.
"If the President-elect's team has a different aim, I'll leave it to them to describe," he said.
The call set off a diplomatic protest by Beijing with the "relevant side" in the US. 
On Friday, Mr Trump held the 10-minute phone call with Ms Tsai, which he said was congratulatory. After sparking concerns of a conflict with China, Mr Trump deflected blame for the call to Ms Tsai. 
"The President of Taiwan CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency. Thank you!" Mr Trump tweeted. 
The Taipei Times originally reported that the call was "arranged by his Taiwan-friendly campaign staff". 
A spokesperson for Ms Tsai, Alex Huang, said: "Of course both sides agreed ahead of time before making contact."
The Trump transition team said that "they noted the clsoe economic, political, and security ties that exist between Taiwan and the United States". 
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi rebuked Taiwan for the phone call. 
"This is just the Taiwan side enaging in a petty action, and cannot change the 'One China' structure already formed by the international community," he said. "I believe that [the call] won't change the longstanding 'One China' policy of the United States government."
The US first adoped the 'One China" policy in 1972 after meetings between President Richard M Nixon and Chairman Mao Tse-tsung – later solidified by President Jimmy Carter. Under the policy, the US retains unofficial ties to Taiwan while recognising Beijing as representing China. China considers Taiwan a renegade country.