While visiting Paraguay, Taiwan’s Vice President William Lai stated that any Chinese military response to his US stopovers would be considered as Beijing’s attempt to interfere in Taiwan’s elections.”
Lai, while speaking to reporters on August 15th in Paraguay, emphasised that these US stopovers were routine procedures and asserted that China had no valid reason to use them for “verbal and military intimidation” against Taiwan, as reported by the island’s official Central News Agency.
“If China uses the transits as an excuse to again launch verbal and military intimidation or other threatening methods, it just confirms international media reports that China is attempting to intervene in Taiwan’s election with military threats,” Lai, the Reuters Reported citing another news agency.
According to Taiwanese officials, there is a concern that China might initiate military exercises this week, potentially using Lai’s visits to the United States as an excuse to unsettle voters before an upcoming election.
As of Tuesday, Taiwan’s defence ministry hasn’t observed significant Chinese movements around Taiwan.
The next Presidential Election in Taiwan is scheduled in January 2024. Lai, who describes himself as a “practical worker for Taiwan independence”, is the frontrunner to be Taiwan’s next president in the elections
Taiwan and the United States aimed to maintain Lai’s US stopovers as Low-key .
Lai affirmed that there were no specific plans for meetings with US officials.
US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel during a press briefing on Monday states that there is no requirement to Exaggerate this transit.
Patel mentioned that this is the 11th time in 20 years that a Taiwanese vice president has travelled to the US, which has official ties with Beijing and a strong relationship with the island claimed by China.
He confirmed that the US is consistent with the One China Policy.
China furious on Taiwan’s visit to US
China has criticised Lai’s stopovers in the US – New York and San Francisco. China accused him of being a separatist “troublemaker”.
Following Lai’s arrival in New York from Taipei, China’s foreign ministry swiftly issued a statement denouncing visits by advocates of “Taiwan independence” to the United States.
China has announced its intention to take resolute and forceful measures in reaction to the recent visit of Taiwan’s Vice President, Lai, to the United States. China emphasised that it was closely monitoring this trip.
China sees Taiwan as its biggest and most important political and diplomatic problem. This issue often causes disagreements between China and the United States.
China insists that the island nation claimed by China itself lacks the authority to establish state to state official relationships with other nations.
China has consistently attempted to persuade the few remaining nations supporting Taiwan to make ties with China. In March, Honduras, which was previously a strong supporter of Taipei, shifted its diplomatic ties to Beijing.
During a conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu stated that attempting to manipulate the Taiwan matter and futilely aiming at China using Taiwan is destined to result in failure.
Lai’s Visit to Paraguay
Lai is visiting Paraguay for the swearing-in ceremony of its new president Santiago Pena. Paraguay is one of the exclusive 13 nations that have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
He addressed a reception in Asuncion, Paraguay.
Lai shared images on his Facebook handle, depicting his interactions in Asuncion, including handshakes and conversations with US Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, Spain’s King Felipe VI, and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, all present for the same occasion.
His visit to Paraguay included two stopovers in the US, New York on 13th August, en route to Paraguay and San Francisco while returning to Taiwan.
