US Speaker to Meet Taiwan’s President Despite China Warnings

By Staff, Agencies

US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy confirmed he will meet Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen in California this week, despite China's warning this could lead to "serious confrontation."

Tsai will stop over in the US on Wednesday, as she returns from a tour of Taiwan's allies in Central America.

A visit to Taiwan last year by the former US speaker was seen as a major provocation by China, which reacted with military drills around the island.

US-China relations are at a low point after soaring tensions in the wake of a row over alleged spy balloons and increasing US attempts to cut off China's access to advanced tech.

McCarthy will meet the Taiwanese leader in a "bipartisan" meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library outside of Los Angeles.

The meeting in the US, as opposed to in Taiwan, has been seen as a compromise to avoid inflaming tensions with China.

But Beijing last week cautioned that any meeting between Tsai and the third-highest-ranking US official could lead to the US seeing "serious repercussions."

On Monday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said Beijing "strongly" opposes any form of official interaction and contact between the US and Taiwan governments.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory despite the island's objections, has complained in recent years of almost daily missions by the Chinese air force near the island, often in the southwestern part of its air defense identification zone.

China staged war games around Taiwan in August after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, and has continued military activities near Taiwan, though on a reduced scale.