New top U.S.diplomat Antony Blinken said the Biden administration recognizes the 'One-China Policy' that restored ties to Beijing in 1972 as the single government of China and that Taiwan is a part of China.

Blinken said that strained trade ties and geopolitical friction with China over issues such as the South China Sea, Hong Kong, the treatment of ethnic Uighur minorities and Taiwan should not mean the U.S. can "fully decouple" from China.

But he called for "stronger economic ties with Taiwan." The Trump administration had appeared to challenge that status quo over Taiwan and drew the ire of China over the issue.

Beijing has said that Taiwan is a breakaway province and reunification, either politically or if necessary militarily is a must. Taiwan's current President Tsai Ing-wen said the island would never accept reunification with China under the terms offered by Beijing. The U.S. sells arms and has trade ties with Taipei, but not full diplomatic relations.

Blinken, 58, said any attack by mainland China on Taiwan "would be a grievous mistake on their part." 

Taiwan took heart when its de facto ambassador to the U.S., Hsiao Bi-khim, was invited to attended Biden's swearing-in on Jan. 20.

He added that the U.S. and its allies must stand together against China's expansionist foreign policy, but also find areas of cooperation. One way Washington can do this is to cooperate more with China, especially on shared challenges such as defeating the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigating climate change.

Blinken on Tuesday was confirmed as the Biden administration's Secretary of State by a 78-22 in the U.S. Senate.