"I fully understand the 'one China' policy, but I don't know why we have to be bound by a 'one China' policy unless we make a deal with China having to do with other things, including trade," Trump said, CNN reported.
Trump had set off a diplomatic controversy when he took a call from Taiwan's leader. The United States recognizes Taiwan as part of China -- and Chinese officials were furious over the first conversation in decades between a Taiwanese leader and a US President or President-elect.
Trump indicated Sunday he won't hesitate to anger China until the country comes to the bargaining table on trade and severs ties with North Korea.
"I mean, look, we're being hurt very badly by China with devaluation, with taxing us heavy at the borders when we don't tax them, with building a massive fortress in the middle of the South China Sea, which they shouldn't be doing, and frankly with not helping us at all with North Korea," Trump said.
"You have North Korea. You have nuclear weapons, and China could solve that problem, and they're not helping us at all," Trump said.
Trump's comments triggered a furious response from China's state-run Global Times newspaper, which, in an editorial, described the President-elect as a "child" ignorant of foreign policy and ruled out negotiations on the "one China" issue.
"The 'one China' policy cannot be bought and sold, Trump, it seems, only understands business and believes that everything has a price and that if he is strong enough he can buy and sell by force," it said.
The editorial warned that Trump, because of his "lack of hands on experience," was liable to be influenced and controlled by hardliners near him.
It added that if Trump ditched the "one China" policy, it would spark "a real crisis."