Lai Ching-te’s New York Stopover: Beijing Blames US For Undermining One China Policy

Chinese authorities have expressed great displeasure at what they qualified as “collusion” between the United States of America, USA authorities and “Taiwan independence” separatists, China Global Television Network, CGTN reported. This followed agency reports that Lai Ching-te, a politician with Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), landed in New York, USA on August 12, 2023 on “transit” and then left for Paraguay the same day for the inauguration of that country’s new President. 

“No” To US-Taiwan Official Interactions! 
In a statement released on Sunday, August 13, 2023, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said China firmly opposes “any form of official interaction between the US and the Taiwan region. We firmly oppose any visit by “Taiwan independence” separatists to the US in any name or under whatever pretext, and we firmly oppose the US government having any form of official contact with the Taiwan region. China deplores and strongly condemns the US decision to arrange the so-called “stopover” for Lai Ching-te.”

Undermining China’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity 
Describing Lai Ching-te as a “trouble maker through and through,” the statement accsused Lai Ching-te of “stubbornly clinging to the separatist position for “Taiwan independence.” “The US and the Taiwan authorities arranged for Lai to engage in political activities in the US in the name of having a “stopover.” 
“This seriously violates the one-China principle, gravely undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The fact once again shows that the fundamental cause of the continued tensions in the Taiwan Strait is the Taiwan authorities’ attempt to solicit US support for “Taiwan independence” and that the US are bent on using Taiwan to contain China,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said.

First Red Line To Avoid
While recalling that the Taiwan question was the core of the core interests of China, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-US relations, it restated the fact that the Taiwan question was “the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations.” Beijing urged the US “to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, deliver on its commitment of not supporting “Taiwan independence” or “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan,” stop all forms of official interaction with Taiwan, stop conniving at and supporting “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and their separatist activities and stop fudging and hollowing out the one-China principle.” 

Resolute, Strong, Measures Promised  
The statement warned that China was closely following the developments of the situati...