Beijing: China has protested to the United States after Taiwan's de facto embassy in Washington hoisted a Taiwanese flag on New Year's Day, and urged the US to respect the "One China" policy.

The US State Department said it had not been notified in advance of the ceremony and it was inconsistent with US policy.

Diplomatic stance: US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki says the US had no advance knowledge the Taiwanese flag was to be raised in Washington. Credit:AFP

China deems Taiwan a renegade province and has not ruled out the use of force to take it back, particularly if the island makes a move towards independence. The One China policy holds that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of it.

Taiwan's China Post newspaper reported on Saturday that the ceremony in Washington was the first time the Taiwanese flag had been raised in the US in 36 years since Washington switched recognition from Taiwan to Beijing in 1979.