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Beijing ‘seriously concerned’ as Taiwan’s Tsai Ing-wen reportedly set to meet US House Speaker on transit stop
- House Speaker Kevin McCarthy confirmed he will be meeting the Taiwanese leader in the US this year, Bloomberg report says
- As Beijing voices ‘serious concern’, Chinese observers say military drills like those following Nancy Pelosi’s Taipei visit cannot be ruled out
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Beijing has expressed grave concerns over Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s reported plans to meet the US House of Representatives speaker during a transit stop there, with Chinese observers warning of another cross-strait crisis.
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This came as the Presidential Office in Taipei said on Wednesday that relevant departments were working on certain plans and transit arrangements, without elaborating further.
While the office did not name Tsai, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy confirmed on Tuesday that he would be meeting her in the US this year instead of Taiwan, according to Bloomberg.
The senior Republican also emphasised that the meeting did not preclude a later visit to the self-governed island, Bloomberg said.
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The Financial Times on Monday was the first to report on McCarthy’s plans to see Tsai in his home state of California instead of Taiwan, citing caution from Taipei. It said the meeting was likely to take place in April.
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The Chinese foreign ministry said it was “seriously concerned about the news”.
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