Taiwan President Lai Ching-te spoke by telephone with the U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson during Lai’s visit to the Pacific, the presidential office said on Thursday, as Beijing called the Taiwan issue a “red line” not to be crossed in Sino-U.S. ties.
China considers democratically governed Taiwan its own territory without any right to the trappings of a state. It has hence condemned Washington for allowing Lai to stop over in both Hawaii and Guam during a visit to the Pacific.
Taiwan presidential office spokesperson Karen Kuo said Lai had spoken with Johnson, but did not give details. Johnson’s office did not respond to an email seeking comment.
A source familiar with the conversation said the call happened on Wednesday afternoon U.S. time, adding that it should not be a reason for China to increase its military intimidation of Taiwan.
Asked about the call, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said the government had already made clear its position on Lai’s visits to the United States.
“I would like to emphasise once again that the Taiwan issue is the core of China’s core interests and the first red line that may not be crossed in Sino-U.S. relations,” Lin Jian told a regular news briefing in Beijing.
The United States must stop interfering in China’s internal affairs and stop sending wrong signals to Taiwan independence and separatist forces, Lin added.
“China will take resolute and forceful measures to firmly safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Sources familiar with the situation have told Reuters that China could launch a new round of war games in response to Lai’s trip to the Pacific, which included stopovers in Hawaii and the U.S. territory of Guam.
While in Hawaii, Lai also had a 20-minute call with former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, during which they discussed China’s military threats.
In 2022, China held war games around the island, infuriated at a trip to Taiwan by Pelosi, at the time Speaker of the House.
Lai rejects China’s sovereignty claims.
(with inputs from Reuters)
