China Reaffirms Opposition to US-Taiwan Official Exchanges Amid Travel Reports

On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun addressed a question regarding a Bloomberg report. The report suggested that Taiwan's regional leader, Lai Ching-te, had seemingly canceled a South American trip after the Trump administration declined to approve a stopover in the United States.

Guo Jiakun began by stating that Taiwan is a province of China and that there is no such position as "president" in that context. He acknowledged China's awareness of the reports.

The spokesperson then emphasized the Chinese government's strong opposition to any official exchanges between the United States and Taiwan. China also resolutely opposes the leader of the Taiwan region visiting the US, regardless of the reason or the name used. Guo reiterated that this stance is consistent, clear, and unwavering.

The Financial Times reported that Trump administration officials had denied permission for the Taiwan regional leader to transit through New York, citing sources familiar with the decision.

Finally, Guo expressed the hope that the United States would uphold the one-China principle and the three joint communiqués between China and the US. He urged the US to handle the Taiwan question with care, in order to foster the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-US relations.