China vows 'resolute and forceful measures' over Taiwan VP's visit to US

China threatened “resolute and forceful measures” on Sunday in response to Taiwan Vice President William Lai’s weekend visit to the United States, which it claimed it was carefully watching.

“China is closely following the development of the situation and will take resolute and forceful measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” an unnamed spokesperson for the foreign ministry said in a statement published online.

Lai, a contender in Taiwan’s presidential elections next year, is officially making merely transit stops in the United States on his way to and from Paraguay, where he will attend President-elect Santiago Pena’s inauguration.

China claims Taiwan and has threatened to conquer the territory one day – by force if necessary – and has increased political and military pressure.

“China is firmly opposed to any form of official exchanges between the US and Taiwan, is resolutely opposed to separatists seeking ‘Taiwan independence’ entering the US under any name and for any reason, and firmly opposed to any form of official contact between the US government and the Taiwanese side,” the spokesperson said.

“China expresses strong dissatisfaction with and strongly condemns the US insistence on arranging William Lai’s ‘transit’ to the US,” the spokesperson added, labelling Lai a “downright troublemaker”.

Before boarding his flight on Saturday afternoon, Lai told reporters he planned to “interact with leaders from various countries in the world and also meet delegations from like-minded countries” during his trip to Paraguay.

“I will… let the international community know our many efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” Lai said.

China’s foreign ministry spokesperson said on Sunday: “The US and Taiwan, in collusion, allow William Lai to engage in political activities in the US under the pretext of a ‘transit’.

“That seriously violates the One-China principle and seriously undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”