Beijing lodges ‘critical protests’ with the US saying it ‘strongly condemns’ Taiwanese chief’s stopover in Hawaii, Guam.
China has pledged “resolute countermeasures” following the US’ determination to approve more arms sales to Taiwan, simply hours earlier than the island’s President William Lai Ching-te made a transit by means of the state of Hawaii, which additional angered Beijing.
In an announcement on Sunday, the Ministry of Overseas Affairs mentioned the US arms sale to Taiwan sends “a unsuitable sign” to the island’s Taiwan independence forces and undermines US-China relations.
“China will intently observe the developments and take resolute and powerful measures to defend our nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” it added.
The US is sure by legislation to supply Taiwan with the means to defend itself regardless of the shortage of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei, to the fixed anger of Beijing.
Taiwan rejects China’s claims of sovereignty.
The US State Division had authorised the potential sale, price an estimated $385m, of spare elements and assist for F-16 jets and radars to Taiwan, hours earlier than Lai started his journey to 3 Pacific nations, with stops in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam.
In a separate assertion issued by a Overseas Ministry spokesman on Sunday, China mentioned it “strongly condemned” the US for “arranging” Lai’s stopover, throughout which he was welcomed by Hawaii Governor Josh Inexperienced.
The assertion added that it has “lodged critical protests with the US”.
The ministry added it firmly opposes any official exchanges between the US and Taiwan.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its personal territory and crucial difficulty in its relations with Washington, strongly dislikes Lai, calling him a “separatist”.
Throughout Lai’s transit in Hawaii, he visited the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbour, throughout which he mentioned the US and Taiwan ought to “struggle collectively to forestall battle”.
“Peace is priceless, and battle has no winners,” he mentioned.
Wanting relaxed in a Hawaiian shirt, Lai was given the “crimson carpet remedy” on the tarmac of Honolulu’s worldwide airport, in response to his workplace, which mentioned it was the primary time a Taiwanese president had been given such a welcome.
He was met by Governor Inexperienced in addition to Ingrid Larson, managing director in Washington of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).
In his first public speech of the weeklong journey, Lai mentioned he was “grateful” to the US for its help in serving to to make sure the success of the tour.
After Hawaii, Lai will go to Taiwan’s allies, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau – the one Pacific island nations among the many 12 nations that recognise Taiwan’s declare to statehood.
