ALBAWABA - Despite stern warnings from China, a defiant Taiwanese president met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California, becoming the first president of Taiwan to meet with a U.S. House speaker on American soil.
Tsai Ing-wen's meeting Wednesday sparked an angry reaction from Beijing, with a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry asserting that "China firmly opposes and strongly condemns" a U.S. leader meeting with Tsai.
"In response to the egregiously wrong action taken by the United States and Taiwan, China will take strong and resolute measures to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement said.
China vowed reprisals against Taiwan after a meeting between U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the island’s president, saying the U.S. was on a “wrong and dangerous road.” https://t.co/fB5Nz78MJ1
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 6, 2023
It called on the United States to "stop containing China by exploiting the Taiwan issue" and "not go further down the wrong and dangerous road."
China considers Taiwan a renegade province that must reunited with the mainland by force, if necessary. But many Taiwanese people yearn for a separate nation.
China is provoking Taiwan in response to its president’s trip to the U.S. by flying and sailing over the Taiwan strait. @willripleyCNN reports. pic.twitter.com/SjVeGD4Xuj
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) April 5, 2023
Ahead of the meeting between Tsai and McCarthy, China dispatched several maritime vessels near Taiwan’s coast. Beijing also sent a "large scale patrol and rescue vessel" to the central and northern Taiwan Strait for a three-day "joint patrol and inspection" operation, China’s Fujian Maritime Safety Administration said in a statement. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it had tracked a Chinese aircraft carrier group, led by the carrier Shandong, passing through waters southeast of Taiwan for training in the Western Pacific.
#China's Fujian maritime safety administration launched a three-day special joint patrol and inspection operation in the central and northern parts of the #Taiwan Strait that includes moves to board ships pic.twitter.com/DPbVGP7P3z
— DD News (@DDNewslive) April 6, 2023
At a news conference following his meeting with Taiwan’s president, McCarthy asserted that China won’t dictate who he speaks with or where he goes, but said it’s “not our intention to escalate” tensions with Beijing.
"I am the speaker of the House," he said. "There’s no place that China is going to tell me where I can go or who I can speak to.” He also said, “there’s no need for retaliation."
CNN said Tsai delivered a dire warning that “democracy is under threat” as she met with McCarthy.
Xi has many reasons to hold fire for the moment, even if he plans a more aggressive military response in the coming days https://t.co/lncjmrPdvW
— Bloomberg (@business) April 6, 2023
Tsai met with McCarthy and a group of U.S. lawmakers at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California’s Simi Valley. The historic meeting marked the second time Tsai has met with a senior American lawmaker within months.
Thank you @SpeakerMcCarthy for the warm welcome. It's a pleasure to be back at the @Reagan_Library & enjoying the #California sunshine as we work to strengthen the bond between #Taiwan & the #US. pic.twitter.com/L8iBissMoH
— 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) April 5, 2023
Last August, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held talks with Tsai during a visit to Taiwan.
Xi has many reasons to hold fire for the moment, even if he plans a more aggressive military response in the coming days https://t.co/lncjmrPdvW
— Bloomberg (@business) April 6, 2023
"It is no secret that today the peace we have maintained and the democracy which (we) have worked hard to build are facing unprecedented challenges," Tsai said with McCarthy standing next to her.
"We once again find ourselves in a world where democracy is under threat and the urgency of keeping the beacon of freedom shining cannot be understated," she added.
