Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun. Photo: VCG

China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the US and the Taiwan region and firmly opposes any trip by leader of the Taiwan region to the US in any name or under whatever pretext, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.   

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a regular press conference in response to a question on whether the Chinese government has contacted the US government, asking the US government not to allow Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te to transit through New York or transit through the US as the Financial Times and Bloomberg reported that Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te was not going to be able to transit the US on his apparently planned trip to South America after the Trump administration has apparently declined to allow him to transit New York. 

Lai was previously reported to plan to stop in New York on August 4 and then Dallas on August 14 as part of a trip to Paraguay, Guatemala and Belize. The trip was reported by Bloomberg but never publicly acknowledged, it was thrown into flux after Taiwan regional officials couldn't get the permission from the US, according to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter.

When asked about the trip Monday, Lai's office issued a public statement noting he needed to stay on the island of Taiwan to focus on typhoon recovery work and tariff negotiations with the US, while saying he had no travel plans, Bloomberg reported.

Trump officials denied Taiwan regional leader permission to transit through New York, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the decision.

China noted relevant reports. Let me underscore that China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the US and the Taiwan region and firmly opposes any trip by leader of the Taiwan region to the US in any name or under whatever pretext. This position is consistent, clear and firm, said Guo.

"We hope the US will abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, handle the Taiwan question with extra prudence, and promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relations," Guo noted.

Global Times