China expressed strong dissatisfaction with the United States over the “transit” of Taiwan’s deputy chief of staff, Lai Qingde, through the United States, and strongly condemned it, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.
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Lai Qingde said on Saturday that he went to visit Paraguay for the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Santiago Peña, the Taiwanese politician will also visit New York and San Francisco in transit, despite Beijing’s displeasure.
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“China strongly opposes any form of official interaction between the US and Taiwan, as well as Taiwanese separatists visiting the US under any pretext or justification, and against any form of official contact between the US government and Taiwan. China expressed strong dissatisfaction with the US because of Lai Qingde’s organization of “transit” and strongly condemned it,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
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According to the Foreign Ministry, under the guise of “transit”, the United States and Taiwan organized for Lai Qingde the opportunity to carry out political activities in the United States, which violates the principle of “one China”, and also seriously damages its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
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“The facts again prove that the root cause of the ongoing tensions in the Taiwan Strait is the attempt by the Taiwanese authorities to rely on the United States for independence, as well as the desire of the United States to use Taiwan to contain China,” the Foreign Ministry said.
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The department emphasized that the Taiwan issue affects China’s fundamental interests and is the main red line in relations with the United States, and also called on Washington to stop any form of official interaction with Taipei.
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Earlier, the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged Washington not to organize a transit trip of Lai Qingde to the United States, Beijing announced its intention to closely monitor the situation and readiness to take measures to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
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In April, Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) nominated its chairman, Vice Chief Executive Lai Qingde, as a candidate in the island’s Chief Executive election scheduled for January 2024.
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The current head of the administration of the island, Tsai Ing-wen, who held this position for two consecutive terms, is no longer eligible for re-election.
