Beijing warns Taiwan opposition leader over independence calls while in US
Remarks by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office come two weeks before Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party, travels to the US to meet government officials
Beijing warned the leader of Taiwan’s main pro-independence opposition party on Wednesday against engaging in activities promoting the island’s independence while she is in the United States later this month.
The remarks by the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office came two weeks before Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and a presidential contender in January’s elections, travels to the US to meet government officials, academics and overseas Taiwanese.
The US has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but is the democratic island’s biggest ally and provider of weapons.
Previous trips to the US by senior Taiwanese politicians have angered Beijing and damaged Sino-US relations.
“We firmly oppose any person engaging in any form of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities in the international arena,” Fan Liqing, spokeswoman of the Taiwan Affairs Office, told a regular news briefing in response to a question about Tsai’s 12-day trip.
Fan said the peaceful development of cross-strait relations depended on opposing Taiwan independence and on the “1992 consensus”, referring to Beijing’s cherished “one China” principle that includes Taiwan as part of China.
