The President of Taiwan meets the Speaker of the US House of Representatives. China pledges firm response | world

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy of the Republican Party on Wednesday (5).

The meeting took place in California at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

“We are not isolated and we are not alone,” the Taiwanese leader told the deputy. “Your presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are neither isolated nor alone,” Tsai said.

The Taiwanese leader also met with a delegation of US politicians from the Democratic Party.

China considers the island of Taiwan a rebellious province and part of Chinese territory and says it is ready to take it back, even by force if necessary.

Under the “One China” principle, the government of China does not allow any country to establish diplomatic relations with both China and Taiwan at the same time.

Only 13 countries in the world recognize Taiwan.

The US government has long maintained “strategic ambiguity” on the issue, a doctrine intended to deter China from invading Taiwan and to prevent the island’s leaders from provoking Beijing by declaring independence.

China’s official news agency Xinhua reported that China promised to give a firm response to the meeting.

“In response to the gross wrongful acts of collusion between the United States and Taiwan, China will take resolute and effective measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the foreign ministry said in a note released by Xinhua.

The ministry said Wednesday’s meeting “severely weakened the one-China principle,” which states that no country can maintain relations with both Taipei and Beijing simultaneously.

“The Taiwan issue is the core of China’s core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in Sino-US relations,” the note issued by the Foreign Ministry said.

The meeting between Tsai and McCarthy was also criticized by the Ministry of National Defense, according to Xinhua.

“We firmly oppose all forms of official interaction between the United States and Taiwan and any visit by the leader of the Taiwanese authorities to the United States in any name and under any pretext,” the ministry said, according to Xinhua.

The government agency said the Chinese military would “firmly safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as peace and stability around the Taiwan Strait”.