US lawmakers challenge China with another official visit to Taiwan

Posted: Nov 26, 2021 01:26 GMT

A congresswoman said she had received warnings from the Chinese Embassy in Washington to cancel her visit to the island.

Five US congressmen arrived in Taiwan for a formal visit, despite warnings from China to exempt themselves from official contacts with that self-governed island.

“When the news of our trip broke yesterday, my office received a categorical message from the Chinese Embassy, ​​telling me to cancel the trip, “Legislator Elissa Slotkin tweeted Thursday.

His office subsequently shared excerpts from the letter with NBC News, urging “decidedly the congresswoman to immediately cancel her planned visit to Taiwan, and not to support or embolden the separatist forces of ‘Taiwan independence’, so that they do not cause enormous damage to the relations between China and the United States and to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. “

The Embassy did not respond to a request for comment made by the US media.

The congressmen “will meet with Taiwanese senior officials to discuss bilateral relations, regional security and other matters of mutual interest, “according to . reports, citing the de facto US legation on the island. second visit of US legislators in a month.

Earlier this month, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army carried out a patrolling preparation for combat in the vicinity of the Taiwan Strait, after it became known that a military airplane from the US that transported members of Congress of the North American country had landed in Taiwan.

‘Strategic ambiguity’

Tensions between Beijing and Washington escalated after President Joe Biden declared on October 21 that his nation will defend taiwan in the event of an armed conflict with mainland China. Subsequently, from the White House they specified that such statements do not represent a change in the policy of ‘strategic ambiguity‘adopted by the US in relation to the island.

Washington He does not recognize officially to Taiwan as an independent country, but reserves the right to maintain special relationships with Taipei, which, in his opinion, makes its own decisions.

Beijing insists that any negotiations with Taiwan that bypass the Chinese central government violate the key principle of its one China policy and the provisions of the three joint communiqués signed by China and the US.