United States House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen addressed the media at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California on Wednesday (April 6) following their meeting despite threats from China. Speaking to reporters, Taiwanese President Tsai said that a large bipartisan meeting of US politicians who met her showed that Taipei is “not isolated” in the face of Chinese anger.
“I want to thank Speaker McCarthy for his warm hospitality and for his invitation to bipartisan congressional leaders who have taken time out of their busy schedules to join us today,” Tsai said. “Their presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated and we are not alone,” she added.
The Taiwanese president’s visit to California is a stop-over after a trip to Latin America to see two of Taipei’s dwindling band of official diplomatic allies.
US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, meanwhile, said during the press conference that Taiwan is a successful democracy, with a thriving economy and a global leader in health and science. McCarthy said that the US cooperation with Taiwan continues to expand through dialogue and exchange.
“The friendship between the people of Taiwan and America is a matter of profound importance to the free world, and it is critical to maintaining economic freedom peace and regional stability,” McCarthy told reporters.
“We will honour our obligations and reiterate our commitment to our shared values behind which all Americans are united,” the US House speaker added.
China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory and has vowed to bring it under its control, repeatedly warned against the meeting between McCarthy and Tsai. Ahead of the meeting, Taiwan’s defence ministry said that a Chinese aircraft carrier group had been deployed in the waters off the island’s southeast coast, the news agency Reuters reported on Wednesday.
The ministry said the Chinese ships, led by the carrier the Shandong, passed through the Bashi Channel, adding they were going for training in the Western Pacific.
“The Chinese communists continue to send aircraft and ships to encroach in the seas and airspace around Taiwan. In addition to posing a substantial threat to our national security, it also destroys the status quo of regional security and stability. Such actions are by no means the acts of a responsible modern country,” the ministry said.
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