Taiwan’s refusal to confirm details of a potential McCarthy meeting in advance is not surprising given the geopolitical sensitivities. Under the “One China” policy, the US acknowledges China’s position that Taiwan is part of China, but has never officially recognized Beijing’s claim to the self-governing island of some 23 million.

On Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin repeated that criticism, saying Beijing was opposed to the visit “in any name for any reason” and accusing Tsai of “promoting Taiwan independence” with the trip.īecause of the unofficial relationship the US has with Taiwan, Tsai’s stop in the US is not characterized as an official visit in order to keep US within the longstanding “One China” policy. He also did not rule out the possibility of taking a trip to Taiwan himself in addition to their meeting.Īny face to face meeting between McCarthy and Tsai is likely to infuriate China’s ruling Communist Party, which claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory despite never having controlled it.Ĭhina launched massive war drills near Taiwan last summer, including firing multiple missiles over the island, when McCarthy’s predecessor Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei – the first such trip by a sitting House speaker in 25 years.Ĭhina hit out at initial reports of Tsai’s planned US transit emerged earlier this month with its Foreign Ministry declaring it was “seriously concerned” about the prospect of a meeting with McCarthy and repeating its position that Beijing “resolutely opposes all official exchanges between US and Taiwan.” McCarthy told reporters earlier this month that he’ll meet with Tsai when she is in the US but didn’t specify a date. When asked whether Tsai will meet with McCarthy, as has been widely reported in recent weeks, the presidential office refused to provide any details of her itinerary in the US. She will then stop in California before returning to Taiwan. Tsai will head to New York on March 29 before visiting Guatemala and Belize, presidential spokeswoman Lin Yu-chan told reporters.

Taiwan confirmed Tuesday that President Tsai Ing-wen will transit the United States en route to Central America at the end of the month, but there was no word on whether a highly anticipated meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will take place.

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