It wasn’t a state visit. But the meeting between Taiwan’s President Tsai and the Speaker of the US House of Representatives caused angry reactions in China. The country is sending more warships near Taiwan – where the highest alert has been declared.
China has slammed Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and announced a “firm and forceful” response. After an aircraft carrier, Beijing also sent warships into the waters around Taiwan, Taipei said. Tsai and McCarthy had previously demonstrated unity at their meeting.
“The United States and Taiwan have conspired” to “strengthen their ties,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. This severely affects Chinese sovereignty and sends a “false signal of support to the Taiwanese separatists”. China will “take resolute and vigorous measures to protect its national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the spokeswoman said.
A few hours before the start of the meeting between Tsai and McCarthy, which Beijing has repeatedly criticized, China stationed an aircraft carrier southeast of Taiwan. In addition, the patrols in the waters between the mainland and the island should be strengthened. Taiwan’s defense ministry said three more warships and a Chinese army helicopter had been spotted near Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng described the timing of the deployment of the Chinese aircraft carrier as “sensitive”. Usually there are take-offs and landings of planes that were not initially detected. “We will continue to monitor that.” According to Chiu, Taiwan does not rule out that the deployment is a prelude to Chinese military exercises.
US delegation visits Taiwan
A visit to Taiwan by McCarthy’s predecessor at the head of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, had caused massive tensions last year. China held major military maneuvers in waters off Taiwan in response to the trip by President Joe Biden’s party friend. China’s reaction to Tsai’s meeting with McCarthy was initially much less harsh. However, Taiwan went on high alert.
Tensions between Beijing and Taipei come as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron are in Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. A delegation from the US Congress also arrived in Taiwan for talks on trade and security.
Tsai and US House Speaker McCarthy met on Wednesday in the United States near Los Angeles. Tsai then said the reception by scores of lawmakers from McCarthy’s Republican Party and US President Biden’s Democratic Party showed that Taiwan “is not isolated and not alone.” McCarthy said he was “optimistic” that the US and Taiwan would continue to find ways “to work together to promote economic freedom, democracy, peace and stability in Asia.”
Source : NTV
