Ajit Karn
Wednesday marked the beginning of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s 10-day visit to Central America, which will include a transit through the United States. China has warned Tsai Ing-wen against meeting US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that the United States continues to collude with Taiwan independence separatists and demanded that Washington cease committing “dangerous acts that undermine the political foundation of the two countries’ relations.”
The media reported that as Tsai Ing-wen departed on a diplomatic mission to Central America, she stated that Taiwan has every right to “connect with the world.”
Prior to Tsai’s departure, China criticized the travel, threatening on Wednesday to “resolutely fight back” if the Taiwanese president met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a move Beijing would view as an infringement on its sovereignty.
Tsai Ing-wen was en route to the United States as the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged the United States to cease committing “dangerous acts that undermine the political foundation of the two countries’ relations.”
According to a media report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated, “It is not the Chinese side that overreacts; rather, it is the US side that continues to collude with separatist forces of Taiwan independence.”
media reports that Tsai Ing-wen departed Taiwan on Wednesday for a 10-day vacation that will include stops in New York City and Los Angeles between official visits to Guatemala and Belize.
Before taking off, Tsai Ing-wen told reporters, “External pressure won’t stop our resolve to move toward international society.”
Tsai added, “We are calm, confident, uncompromising, and unprovocative.”
media reported that Tsai Ing-wen will meet with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during one of her unofficial stopovers in the United States, attracting attention to the trip. Taiwan has not yet confirmed that the two leaders will meet. McCarthy stated in March that they would meet while Tsai was in the United States. He did not, however, mention a date.
After her sojourn in New York City, the President of Taiwan is scheduled to travel to Guatemala on April 1 and Belize on April 3. She will transit through Los Angeles before returning to Taiwan on April 7, media reported, citing the Taiwanese Presidential Office.
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After then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan a year ago, China launched multiple missiles and conducted military exercises around the island. Her visit also strained bilateral relations between the United States and China.
