China slams planned US visit by ‘separatist’ Taiwan presidential front runner William Lai

BEIJING - China reacted with anger on Monday to a planned visit to the US in August by “separatist” Taiwan Vice-President and presidential front runner William Lai, as the government in Taipei said it saw no reason to overreact to mere transit stops.

Taiwan’s presidents and vice-presidents traditionally make transits in the United States during trips to the few remaining countries still maintaining formal diplomatic ties with the Chinese-claimed island.

And this time, Mr Lai will be attending the swearing-in of Paraguay’s new president, Mr Santiago Pena.

This US trip, though, has extra significance as Mr Lai is running to succeed President Tsai Ing-wen at Taiwan’s next election in January.

Taiwan’s presidential candidates generally visit the US ahead of the vote to discuss their run with officials there. Mr Lai is currently leading in most opinion polls.

Such transits infuriate China, which views them as covert US support for Taiwan’s separateness from China and a challenge to Beijing’s territorial claims. China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary. 

In April, China staged war games around Taiwan after

Ms Tsai met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy

in Los Angeles while on her way back from Central America.

Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said the government had already lodged a diplomatic complaint with the US about Mr Lai’s stopovers.

“China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between the US and Taiwan, resolutely opposes sneaky visits by Taiwan independence separatists in any name or for any reason, and resolutely opposes any form of connivance by the US to support Taiwan independence separatists,” Ms Mao added.

“China will pay close attention to the development of the situation and take resolute and forceful measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Taiwan’s presidential office said Mr Lai would arrive in Paraguay on Aug 14, the day before Mr Pena is sworn in as the country’s next president.

Speaking to reporters, Taiwan Vice-Foreign Minister Alexander Yui declined to give details on Mr Lai’s US transit, saying details would come later.

Asked whether the government was worried about the Chinese reaction to Mr Lai’s US visit or whether the visit would prompt more Chinese war games, Mr Yui said it was the “usual practice” to make such stopovers for reasons of safety and comfort.

“There is no reason or cause for it to create commotion,” Mr Yui said.

China has repeatedly rebuffed offers of talks from Ms Tsai and her government, believing she is a separatist.

Mr Lai angered China in 2018 when he was premier, telling Parliament he was a “Taiwan independence worker” and that his position was that Taiwan was a sovereign, independent country – a red line for Beijing.

Both Ms Tsai and Mr Lai say that the Republic of China, Taiwan’s formal name, is already an independent state, despite only 13 countries formally recognising it, including Paraguay.

Mr Pena visited Taiwan last week and met Mr Lai and Ms Tsai, who cannot run for office again after serving two terms.

REUTERS