China slams planned US visit of 'separatist' Taiwan presidential frontrunner

Record ID: 1734110

  • Title: China slams planned US visit of 'separatist' Taiwan presidential frontrunner
  • Date: 17th July 2023
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (JULY 17, 2023) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON MAO NING STANDING AT PODIUM JOURNALISTS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON, MAO NING, SAYING: "China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between the United States and Taiwan, resolutely opposes sneaky visits by Taiwan independence separatists in any name or for any reason, and resolutely opposes any form of connivance by the United States to support Taiwan independence separatists. (The Chinese government) had already lodged a complaint with the United States."
  • Embargoed: 31st July 2023 09:56
  • Keywords: China China-Taiwan relations China-US relations Paraguay Taiwan United States William Lai
  • Location: BEIJING, CHINA / TAIPEI, TAIWAN
  • City: BEIJING, CHINA / TAIPEI, TAIWAN
  • Country: Various
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA002756617072023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PART AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING
    China reacted with anger on Monday (July 17) to a planned visit next month to the United States by "separatist" Taiwan presidential frontrunner Vice President William Lai, as the government in Taipei said it saw no reason to overreact to mere transit stops.
    Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the government had already lodged a diplomatic complaint with the United States about Lai's stop overs.
    Taiwanese presidents and vice presidents traditionally make transits of the United States on trips to the few remaining countries still to maintain formal diplomatic ties with the Chinese-claimed island, and this time Lai will be attending the swearing in of Paraguay's new president, Santiago Pena.
    This U.S. trip, though, has extra significance as Lai is running to succeed President Tsai Ing-wen at Taiwan's next election in January, and presidential candidates generally visit the United States ahead of the vote to discuss their run with officials there.
    Lai is currently leading in most opinion polls.
    (Production: Josh D Arslan, Angie Teo)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register