Beijing is urging the US not to allow Taiwanese William Lai to travel through the country

On By Pranco

Beijing has Washington urged to disallow Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te from transiting through the United States, ahead of his reported plans to visit the Pacific Islands.

This came a day after Beijing urged Ottawa to stick to its ‘one China’ commitment, while Lai’s predecessor Tsai Ing-wen was reportedly set to visit Canada next week.

Reuters reported on Friday that Lai would visit Taiwan‘s diplomatic allies in the Pacific in the coming weeks, with plans for a stop in the US state of Hawaii and possibly the Micronesian territory of Guam, both home to major US military bases.

“Taiwan authorities are using these so-called diplomatic ties to influence the political agenda,” Beijing Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Friday afternoon. “These actions are useless and would not shake the trend of the times that there is one China in the world.”

“China consistently opposes US arrangements (for such transit),” he said. “We urge America to adhere to the One China Principle and the three joint communiqués, not allow Lai to travel through the United States and to stop sending wrong signals to the independence forces of Taiwan.”

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Beijing accuses Taiwanese President William Lai of sending ‘dangerous signals’ in his inauguration speech

Beijing accuses Taiwanese President William Lai of sending ‘dangerous signals’ in his inauguration speech

The three joint communiqués on the Taiwan issue state that the The US recognizes the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, and recognizes Beijing’s position that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of China.