Taiwan’s president is beginning a swing through the United States and Central America, a visit aimed at showing that her self-ruled island has allies as it faces a rising threat from China.
Taiwan was carefully calibrating President Tsai Ing-wen’s stops in the United States, and as always forgoing any official meetings with senior U.S. leaders in Washington, in an effort to contain what China said would be a strong but as yet unspecified response.
Tsai arrived in New York on Wednesday and was scheduled to spend Thursday in the city, but few details of the trip were made public.
China said it was closely watching and would “resolutely safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
On Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated China’s furious objections to any meetings between Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. officials.
“China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the U.S. and Taiwan,” Mao told reporters at a daily briefing. “China will continue to closely follow the situation and resolutely safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
China has particularly warned that a meeting between Tsai and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, would bring a strong but unspecified response.
Neither Tsai nor McCarthy has formally confirmed a meeting. Tsai is scheduled to transit in Los Angeles on April 5.
Taiwan is an important partner for Washington in the Indo-Pacific and a major recipient of U.S. military aid. The U.S., Taiwan and their allies in the region are boosting their military readiness with the aim of deterring or defending against any future military action by China, which claims the island as its own.
Last August, Beijing responded to the visit of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan by launching missiles, deploying warships across the median line of the Taiwan Strait and simulating a blockade of the island. China also temporarily suspended dialogue with the U.S. on climate and…
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