Taiwan president speaks with US House Speaker Johnson, China warns of 'red lines'
In this photo released by Taiwan Presidential Office, people hold Taiwan and U.S. flags as they welcome Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te at an airport in Guam Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)
TAIPEI: Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday (Dec 5) he spoke with House Speaker Mike Johnson and other US congressional leaders during his visit to the Pacific, as China called the Taiwan issue a "red line" not to be crossed in Sino-US ties.
China considers democratically governed Taiwan its own territory without any right to the trappings of a state and has condemned Washington for allowing Lai to stop over in both Hawaii and Guam during a visit to the Pacific.
Lai said he had spoken with Republican Johnson and other congressional leaders including Democrats Nancy Pelosi, a former House speaker and stalwart Taiwan supporter, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Johnson's office confirmed the Wednesday call but gave no details. Lai also said he spoke with Republican Senator Roger Wicker.
"#Taiwan is grateful for the bipartisan #US Congressional support as we advance peace & prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," Lai wrote in a post on X.
Asked about the call with Johnson, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry said the government had already clarified its position on Lai's visits to the United States.
The United States, Lin said, must stop interfering in China's internal affairs and stop sending wrong signals to Taiwan's independence and separatist forces.
"China will take resolute and forceful measures to firmly safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Sources familiar with the situation have told Reuters that China could launch a new round of war games in response to Lai's trip to the Pacific, which included stopovers in Hawaii, a US state, and the US territory of Guam.
While in Hawaii, Lai spoke for 20 minutes with Pelosi, whose 2022 visit to Taiwan as House speaker prompted a furious response from China.
In 2022, China held war games around the island, infuriated at a trip to Taiwan by Pelosi, at the time Speaker of the House.
Lai rejects China's sovereignty claims.
