BEIJING (AFP) — China on Thursday condemned a United States delegation visit to Taiwan as “interference,” after the chairman of the House of Representatives committee on China arrived on the self-ruled island with four other lawmakers.
“China always resolutely opposes any form of official exchange between the United States and Taiwan authorities, and resolutely opposes the United States’ interference in Taiwan affairs in any way or under any pretext,” foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular press conference.
“We urge the United States to recognize the extreme complexity and sensitivity of the Taiwan issue,” Mao said, urging the US to adhere to the “one-China principle” and stop official exchanges with Taiwan.
Mike Gallagher heads the five-member delegation that met Thursday with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen and Vice President Lai Ching-te, who won last month’s presidential election and will take office in May.
“If Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party were to ever make the incredibly foolish decision to attempt an invasion of Taiwan... that effort would fail,” Gallagher said during the meeting with Lai.