China issued a strong response on Thursday to a visit by a US congressional delegation to Taiwan, urging the US to cease all official communication with the self-governing island.
Following a meeting between the House Select Committee on China's Communist Party and Taiwanese leaders, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning addressed the media. The meeting was part of a high-profile trip to demonstrate US support for Taiwan's democratically elected government.
China Lashes Out at US Delegation Visit to Taiwan
The visit by members of Congress elicited a more robust reaction than usual. Beijing has consistently objected to any formal engagement between the US and Taiwan but is especially unhappy with the House select committee, established in 2023 and recognized for its aggressive stance towards China's ruling party.
Nevertheless, the visit is not expected to lead to significant military actions like the visit by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did in the summer of 2022. Beijing and Washington are working to improve their strained relations after a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in November.
The congressional visit aligned with the US State Department's announcement of a $75 million arms sale to Taiwan. The transaction is of a small scale and does not involve any weapons. It delves into communications and global positioning systems along with related technology.
Mao condemned the sale for its impact on China's sovereignty, security interests, and relations with the US, as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. According to a 1979 law, the US must supply Taiwan with necessary military equipment and technology to prevent invasion.
Beijing strongly opposes the US arms sales to Taiwan, viewing the island as part of Chinese territory and threatening to take it back by force if needed. Taiwan is included in the $95 billion aid package that was approved by the Senate this month but is currently held up in the House.
The package, which highlighted Ukraine and Israel, contained $1.9 billion to restock US weapons supplied to Taiwan. An extra $3.3 billion is allocated to expand the production of US-manufactured submarines to strengthen a security alliance with Australia and the United Kingdom.
In Taiwan, a report by Central News Agency stated that Rep. Mike Gallagher, the select committee's Republican chair, and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, its Democratic ranking member, proposed methods to accelerate the delivery of military weapons to Taiwan. They recommended joint production of certain weapons that do not require intellectual property transfer, as per AP News.
Mike Gallagher leads the delegation of five members that held meetings with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen and Vice President Lai Ching-te yesterday. The United States is a crucial ally for Taiwan, which has been a focal point of tensions with China. China asserts its claim over Taiwan and has not dismissed the possibility of using force to assert control.
US' Support For Taiwan Angers China
Although the United States does not have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it remains a key supporter and provider of military resources to the island, causing tension in the relationship between Washington and Beijing.
Taiwan's defense ministry expressed appreciation for the decision, stating that the US support will strengthen their defense capabilities against present and future challenges. Prior to his victory in the election, Lai, from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), promised to protect the island from what he referred to as China's "intimidation."
Relations between the United States and China have been tense for years, with conflicts arising over various issues such as trade, alleged espionage, human rights, and foreign policy. Ties have significantly improved over the past year following a number of top-level discussions between US and Chinese officials.
In November 2023, the US President hosted his Chinese counterpart for a summit on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific economic meeting, with the two agreeing to restore military communications. Beijing has labeled Lai as a 'troublemaker' and a 'separatist', and responded to his win by cautioning against moving towards formal independence, a stance the president-elect has stated he disagreed with.
In January, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson restated Beijing's strong opposition to all official exchanges between the United States and Taiwan following Lai's meeting with a visiting US delegation.
In the most recent incident, Beijing accused Taipei on Wednesday of attempting to conceal the truth regarding a confrontation between a fishing vessel with two Chinese nationals and a Taiwanese coast guard boat in waters controlled by Taiwan, which resulted in the deaths of the Chinese nationals.
