McCarthy and Tsai to meet in Los Angeles

US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will meet today at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library outside Los Angeles, ignoring threats of “countermeasures” from Beijing in the middle of his ongoing protests about Tsai’s visit to the United States.

After weeks of warnings Upon such a meeting, China’s navy sent an aircraft carrier group through the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines and into the Pacific early Wednesday, according to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, which called the move irresponsible.

taiwan later Announced will conduct naval exercises next week.

McCarthy’s office confirmed to Radio Free Asia on Tuesday that the meeting with Tsai would take place and said 17 other lawmakers from the Republican and Democratic parties would also attend.

The list includes Rep. Mike Gallagher, Republican of Wisconsin and Chairman of the Select Committee on China, Rep. Pete Aguilar of Illinois, Chairman of the Democratic caucus, and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, the ranking Democrat on the Select Committee on China. . .

Conflicting protests are expected outside the Reagan Library, echoing last week’s shouting match in New York between Tsai’s supporters and pro-Beijing groups who argue she should not be in the United States.

Tsai met with a separate bipartisan congressional delegation led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, during his visit to New York last week, according to reports.

‘blatant provocation’

China has criticized Tsai.”transit” across the United States this week and last, labeling the trip a campaign for Taiwanese independence. Beijing considers the autonomous island a renegade province and has vowed to “reunify” it with the mainland using force if necessary.

A Chinese diplomat has warned of a “serious, serious, serious confrontation in the US-China relationship” if the meeting takes place, but Biden administration officials say that is McCarthy’s prerogative.

Washington-based PunchBowl News also obtained on Tuesday an email sent by Li Xiang, the Chinese Embassy’s Washington liaison to Congress, to McCarthy warning of the consequences of the meeting.

“I have to point out that China will not sit idly by in the face of blatant provocation and will likely take necessary and resolute measures in response to the unwanted situation,” Li wrote. “Former Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi visit to taiwan last year triggered a serious crisis in the US-China relationship, and lessons must be learned.”

McCarthy said last month He may repeat Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan this year, telling a reporter: “China can’t tell me where or when I can go.”

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a rising star in the Republican Party and a potential 2024 presidential contender, also announced Tuesday that plans to travel to Taiwan later this month.

Edited by Malcolm Foster.