(TibetanReview.net, Dec01’24) –China has strongly condemned the US for its latest decision to sell arms to Taiwan and allegedly arranging a “stopover” in Hawaii and Guam for its President Lai Ching-te as he was on his way to visit the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau – three of the democratically self-ruled island’s remaining handful of diplomatic allies.
The trip and the “stopover” are seen as important for Taiwan to reaffirm its partnerships with the US and other democracies.
China strongly condemns the US’ arranging for leader of China’s Taiwan region Lai Ching-te’s “stopover” and has lodged serious protests with the US, reported China’s official globaltimes.cn Dec 1, citing a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
“China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the US and the Taiwan region, firmly opposes any trip by leader of the Taiwan authorities to the US in any name or under whatever pretext, and firmly opposes any form of US connivance or support for ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists and their separatist activities,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying.
The spokesperson has stressed that the Taiwan question is at the core of China’s core interests, and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-US relations.
“We urge the US to fully see the separatist nature of Lai Ching-te and the DPP (Democratic Progressive Party of Lai) authorities, fully understand the grave damage that ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities do to cross-Straits peace and stability, fully abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, act on the commitments made by US leaders such as not supporting ‘Taiwan independence,’ stop having official interaction with the Taiwan region, and stop sending any wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces,” the spokesperson has further said.
China has vowed to closely follow the developments and take resolute and strong measures to defend our nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Lai will stop over for two nights in Hawaii and one night in the US territory of Guam in his first transit across US soil since taking office in May, edition.cnn.com Dec 1 cited Taipei’s presidential office as saying.
Though billed as an unofficial transit, the trip drew sharp reaction from China, which is expected to respond with military drills near Taiwan.
Lai’s trip is important to Taiwan as it reaffirms the country’s partnerships with the US and other democracies – alliances Beijing is eager to undermine, the report noted.
Meanwhile, the US has approved a $385 million arms sale to Taiwan on Nov 29, continuing its efforts to strengthen military relations with the island nation, a move that has also attracted angry reaction from Beijing.
China vowed “resolute countermeasures”, with its foreign ministry saying the sale sends “a wrong signal” to Taiwan independence forces and undermines US-China relations, reported Reuters Dec 1.
The sale was stated to include spare parts for fighter jets and radar systems, with the delivery expected to start in 2025.