China Condemns Taiwan VP's US Visit

Facts

• On Sunday, China threatened to take "resolute and forceful measures" to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, after Taiwanese Vice President William Lai arrived in New York over the weekend.¹
• Lai transited through the US on Saturday — for the first time since January 2022 — on his way to attend the inauguration of Paraguayan President-elect Santiago Peña on Tuesday. Paraguay is the only South American country that still holds diplomatic ties with Taiwan.²
• In a statement, China's foreign ministry criticized Lai's trip — which is set to include another stopover in San Francisco on Wednesday on his way back to Taipei — saying it "seriously violates the one-China principle."³
• Calling him a "troublemaker through and through," Beijing said it opposed any form of visit by "Taiwan independence separatists" to the United States, as the island is the center of "China's core interests."⁴
• Meanwhile, Lai reportedly plans to "meet delegations from like-minded countries" during his trip to Paraguay, and to share Taiwan's efforts to "maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region."⁵
• Taiwanese authorities traditionally transit through the US on trips to the few remaining countries that officially recognize the island as an independent state, formally known as Republic of China.⁶

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²CNN, ³Bloomberg, ⁴CNBC, ⁵Yahoo News, and ⁶Nikkei Asia.

Narratives

• Pro-China narrative, as provided by Global Times. The Biden administration is inflaming political tensions in the region by facilitating Taiwan's engagement in divisive activities in the US under the pretext of 'transit.' The PRC cannot tolerate uncalled-for intervention in its territory and must step up its military exercises around the island until it accepts Beijing's sovereignty.
• Anti-China narrative, as provided by Taipei Times. Taiwan's future should be determined by its people and not by mainland China, which keeps interfering in Taiwan's internal affairs. As Beijing has threatened to take control of Taiwan — potentially through the use of force — Taiwan's leaders must secure alliances in the West to maintain its independence and the legitimacy of democracy worldwide.

Predictions