China Firmly Opposes Taiwan’s Deputy Leader Lai Ching-teh’s Planned “Transit” to the United States, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Says
On August 3, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed concerns regarding the planned “transit” of Lai Ching-teh, the deputy leader of the Taiwan region of China, to the United States. In response to a reporter’s question about Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party’s announcement of Lai’s departure for Paraguay, followed by a transit between New York and San Francisco, the spokesperson expressed China’s opposition to any form of official exchanges between the US and Taiwan.
The spokesperson emphasized that China firmly opposes “Taiwan independence” separatists seeking refuge in the United States under any name or for any reason. They also condemned the US connivance and support of these separatists and their activities. The spokesperson stressed that the Taiwan issue is at the core of China’s core interests and an insurmountable red line in Sino-US relations.
China urged the US to abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three Sino-US joint communiqués. They called on the US to earnestly implement the commitments made by its leaders not to support “Taiwan independence.” The spokesperson demanded the cessation of official exchanges between the US and Taiwan, the halt of efforts to upgrade substantive US-Taiwan relations, and an end to any encouragement of “Taiwan independence” forces.
The spokesperson warned that allowing Lai Qingde’s transit to the United States would send the wrong signals and emphasized that China would closely monitor the situation. They vowed to take resolute and forceful measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Finally, the spokesperson conveyed a message to the authorities of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party, stating that pursuing “Taiwan independence” was a dead end and that Taiwan’s people would suffer from cozying up to the United States and selling out their interests.
The source of this information is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, and the article was edited by Fan Meiling.
Editor: Fan Meiling