Speaking at a routine press conference, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning declared, “China always resolutely opposes any form of official exchange between the United States and Taiwan authorities, and resolutely opposes the United States interference in Taiwan affairs in any way or under any pretext,”
The five-member team led by Mike Gallagher met with Vice President Lai Ching-te and President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan on Thursday. Tsai Ing-wen won the country’s presidential election last month and will take office in May.
“We urge the United States to recognize the extreme complexity and sensitivity of the Taiwan issue,” Mao said, urging the US to adhere to the “one-China principle” and stop official exchanges with Taiwan.
Following a meeting with Taiwan’s top leadership, Gallagher declared that his nation was “extremely strong” in its support of the self-governing island.
Gallagher told reporters, “I see growing and extremely strong support for Taiwan (in the US Congress).”
Taiwan’s most significant ally is the United States, and the island has been the focus of hostilities with China, which claims the region as its own and has not ruled out using force to subjugate it.
An outspoken opponent of China, Gallagher stated that he thought the outcome of his nation’s 2024 presidential election would have little bearing on US support for Taiwan.
“I am very confident that support for Taiwan will continue regardless of who occupies the White House,” he declared.
Furthermore, he cautioned Beijing that it would be “incredibly foolish” to try an invasion of Taiwan.
“If Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party were to ever make the incredibly foolish decision to attempt an invasion of Taiwan… that effort would fail,” he told Lai during their conversation.
