The State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office is offering up its first response to the decision to reject an application by authorities in Taiwan to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank this week.

Taiwan Affairs office spokesperson An Fengshan says the application by authorities in Taiwan goes against the rules of the AIIB itself.

"We have made known on many occasions our approach toward Taiwan's inclusion in the AIIB. We believe that the AIIB will treat Taiwan's application and inclusion in accordance with the one-China principle and the bank's regulations."

Under the AIIB's rules, any membership bid by Taiwan has to be made through the PRC's Finance Ministry.

Authorities in Taiwan are refusing to take that step, asking to be admitted as a stand-alone entity.