BEIJING (Reuters) – China urged the United States on Friday to exercise the “utmost caution” on relations with democratically-governed Taiwan, ahead of a sensitive trip its President Lai Ching-te starts this week to both Hawaii and Guam, as part of a Pacific tour.
China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, opposes any foreign interactions or visits by the island’s leaders, especially those involving the United States.
Lai’s week-long trip begins on Saturday, making what is officially called a stopover first in Hawaii before going to Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, three of the 12 countries which have formal ties with Taiwan.
He will also stop over in the U.S. territory of Guam.
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, reiterated comments made by President Xi Jinping to U.S. President Joe Biden at an Asia Pacific summit in Peru this month, in which he said “separatist acts” were incompatible with peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
“If the United States wants to maintain peace in the Taiwan Straits, it is crucial for it to recognise the independence nature of Lai Ching-te and the Democratic Progressive Party authorities,” she said, referring to the ruling party.
The United States must “handle the Taiwan issue with utmost caution, unequivocally oppose Taiwan independence of Taiwan, and support the peaceful reunification of China”, Mao added at a daily news briefing in the Chinese capital.
China opposes any “scurrying to the United States” of Taiwan’s leaders, in any form, or any U.S. support for separatist activities, she said.
“China’s determination to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity and oppose interference in its internal affairs by external forces is unwavering.”
Lai and his government reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s people can decide their future.
Visiting a temple in New Taipei on Friday, Lai said he was looking forward to visiting Taiwan’s three Pacific allies on his first overseas visit since assuming office in May.
Lai said he would keep deepening partnership with other countries and “keep Taiwan going out into the world”, the presidential office said in a statement that did not mention the U.S. stop overs.
China is likely to launch military drills in the coming days near Taiwan, using Lai’s trip to the Pacific and scheduled stopovers in the United States as a pretext, according to assessments by Taiwan and regional security officials.
Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung told lawmakers on Thursday that Chinese war games in response to the trip were one of the possible scenarios. (This story has been refiled to correct the preposition to ‘by’, instead of ‘on’, in the headline)
(Reporting by Joe Cash; Writing and additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
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