Senate passes Taiwan travel bill that has angered China

The U.S. Capitol Building is lit at sunset in Washington, U.S. [Courtesy]

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday passed a bill promoting closer U.S. ties with Taiwan, which China has warned could threaten stability in the Taiwan Strait, but drew praise from the self-ruled island which pledged to deepen cooperation.

Beijing considers democratic Taiwan to be a wayward province and integral part of “one China”, ineligible for state-to-state relations, and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.