China Issues Stern Warning as Taiwan Vice President's US Visit Sparks Outrage
China vows to take forceful action to protect its sovereignty as Taiwan's Vice President William Lai's visit to the US sparks outrage. Chinese officials claim it is a pretext to intimidate voters before Taiwan's upcoming elections.
China has vowed to take "forceful measures" to protect its national sovereignty and territorial integrity following a visit by Taiwan's Vice President, William Lai Ching-te, to the United States. China claims Taiwan as its territory and considers any form of official exchange between the US and Taiwan as a violation of its core interests.
Lai's visit, which was officially for transit purposes on his way to and from Paraguay, where he attended the inauguration of President Santiago Peña, has sparked outrage from China.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized Washington's decision to arrange the stopover, stating that it sent "seriously wrong signals" to separatist forces advocating Taiwan independence. Lai has previously been vocal about his support for Taiwan independence, although he has pledged to maintain the status quo and engage in dialogue with Beijing.
Chinese officials have accused Lai's visit of being a pretext to intimidate voters ahead of Taiwan's next presidential elections in January. So far, Taiwan has not reported any unusual military movements by China near the island.