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☆ US trip pays off for Taiwan VP with China drills more 'thunder than rain'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Ben Blanchard | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

China has a particular dislike of Lai, the frontrunner in polls ahead of January's presidential election, due to his previous comments about being a "worker for Taiwan independence". In his public events he talked about peace and dialogue, though he also said that Taiwan would not back down in the face of threats. "These drills were a lot of thunder, but less rain." 'NO SURPRISES'Lo Chih-cheng, a senior lawmaker for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, said Lai's trip was also about the broader process of showing him to the United States as a steady and trustworthy leader. China could take other, trade-related, steps to punish Taiwan, having previously stopped Taiwanese fruit and fish imports.

Persons: William Lai, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Lai, Ma Chen, Shen Dingli, Lai Ching, Lo Chih, cheng, Lo, Ko Wen, Xi Jinping, Ben Blanchard, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: International Airport, REUTERS, Rights, Taiwan, U.S, Liberation Army, National Defence University, United States, Relations, Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwanese Public, National Taiwan Normal University's Graduate, of Political, Thomson Locations: United States, New York, Paraguay, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Rights TAIPEI, China, U.S, United, Shanghai, Taipei, Beijing, Washington, Asia

☆ Taiwan details China drills, VP says election not China's to call
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Ben Blanchard | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] Taiwan’s Vice President William Lai waves at Taoyuan International Airport following his trip to the United States and Paraguay, in Taoyuan, Taiwan August 18, 2023. "My position is that Taiwan is not a part of the People's Republic of China. China has demanded that Taiwan's government accept that both sides of the Taiwan Strait are part of "one China", but it has refused. LOWER-KEY DRILLSChina's Saturday drills were much more low-key than two rounds of war games around Taiwan last August and again in April this year. Taiwan's military also released pictures of one of its fighter jets taking off and a pilot checking a missile underneath an aircraft.

Persons: William Lai, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Lai, Su, It's, That's, Taiwan's, Alexander Neill, Neill, lambasting Lai, Tian Dan, Ben Blanchard, Greg Torode, James Pomfret, William Mallard, Kim Coghill, Edmund Klamann Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Democratic Progressive Party, APEC, Hawaii's, Eastern Theatre Command, Sunday, Taiwan, State Department, Reuters, Thomson Locations: United States, Paraguay, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Rights TAIPEI, China, Beijing, New York, People's Republic of China, San Francisco, Singapore, U.S, Hong Kong

☆ Explainer: Why is China so angry about the Taiwan vice president's US trip?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Here are the key issues in Taiwan-U.S., China-U.S. and Taiwan-China relations, and why China is so upset about Lai's visit to the United States. Taiwan's official name continues to be the Republic of China, though these days the government often stylises it as the Republic of China (Taiwan). China views Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen as a separatist and has rebuffed repeated calls from her for talks. She says the Republic of China and People's Republic of China are "not subordinate" to each other. Beijing says Tsai must accept that both China and Taiwan are part of "one China".

Persons: William Lai, Xi Jinping, Mao Zedong's, LAI, Lai, Joe Biden, Tsai Ing, Tsai, Ben Blanchard, Kim Coghill Organizations: Lotte, REUTERS, Rights, Taiwan, CHINA, Communist Party, Democratic, STATES, United States, Taiwan Relations, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S, Rights TAIPEI, China, Taiwan, Taipei, United States, Paraguay, People's Republic of China, Republic of China, Beijing, TAIWAN, United, Washington, TAIPEI, BEIJING

China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, despite the strong objections of the island's government. "This is a serious warning against Taiwan independence separatist forces colluding with external forces to provoke," it said. China has a particular dislike of Lai for his previous comments that he was a "practical worker for Taiwan independence". The United States, like most countries, has no formal ties with Taiwan but is its strongest international backer, bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself. China has over the past three years ramped up military pressure on Taiwan, including sending military aircraft and warships near the island.

Persons: William Lai, Nancy Pelosi, Tsai Ing, Kevin McCarthy, Lai, Deb Haaland, King Felipe VI, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Casey Hall, Ben Blanchard, Greg Torode, William Mallard Organizations: Joint Staff Office, Defense Ministry of Japan, Reuters, Eastern Theatre Command, U.S . House, U.S, Beijing, Communist Party, Thomson Locations: Okinawa, Miyako, SHANGHAI, TAIPEI, Taiwan, United States, Taipei . Lai, Paraguay, China, Taipei, California, South, Asuncion

☆ China launches drills in angry response to Taiwan vice president's trip to U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The U.S. says it's closely monitoring China's drills around Taiwan after Beijing began three days of military exercises around the island. Greg Baker | AFP | Getty ImagesChina launched military drills around Taiwan on Saturday as a "serious warning" to separatist forces in an angry but widely expected response to Vice President William Lai's visit to the United States, drawing condemnation from Taipei. Taiwan's government strongly condemned the drills, with the defense ministry saying it had the ability, determination, and confidence to ensure national security. "The Republic of China, Taiwan, is a sovereign country and has a legitimate and legal right to conduct normal diplomatic interactions with friendly countries," it added in a statement, using the island's formal name. Taiwan's defense ministry released a short video of undated footage showing Taiwanese forces at sea, on city streets and across the countryside.

Persons: Greg Baker, William Lai's, Joseph Wu, Joe Biden Organizations: PLA Navy, Beijing, AFP, Getty Images China, Eastern Theatre Command, Mainland Affairs Council, U.S, Taiwan Locations: Taiwan, China's, Fujian, U.S, United States, Taipei . Lai, Paraguay, China, Beijing, Republic of China, South Korea, Japan

☆ US urges China to cease military pressure against Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A screen broadcasts news footage of an Air Force aircraft taking part in military drills by the Eastern Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) around Taiwan, in a shopping area in Beijing, China August 19, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Aug 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. urged China on Saturday to stop pressuring Taiwan, after Beijing launched military drills around the democratically governed island in response to Taiwan Vice President William Lai's U.S. visit. "We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan," a State Department spokesperson told Reuters in a statement. The U.S. would continue to monitor the exercises closely, the department statement said. Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, William Lai's, Michael Martina, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Air Force, Eastern Theatre Command, Liberation Army, PLA, REUTERS, Rights, Taiwan, State Department, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Beijing, China, U.S

☆ Taiwan vice president returns from sensitive visit to US
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Fabian Hamacher | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Taiwan’s Vice President William Lai speaks to the media upon arrival at Taoyuan International Airport as he returns from a trip to the United States and Paraguay, in Taoyuan, Taiwan August 18, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTAOYUAN, Taiwan, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Taiwan Vice President William Lai returned on Friday from a sensitive visit to the United States, thanking the Taiwanese people for supporting a trip he said showed the island's "self confidence" venturing into the international community. "Because of everyone's hard work, Taiwan's power is stronger and stronger, and it showed the international community that Taiwan is a force for good, that the international community really pays great attention to Taiwan," he said. China claims Taiwan as its territory and denounced the transit stops in the U.S., calling Lai a separatist and a "troublemaker". "Thank you for your contributions to the country and to society," he said, "allowing Taiwan to very progressively, self confidently and respectfully go into the international community, and winning the support of the international community."

Persons: William Lai, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Lai, Tsai Ing, Fabian Hamacher, Chang, Kim, Ben Blanchard, David Gregorio, Lincoln Organizations: Taoyuan International Airport, REUTERS, Rights, Taiwan, American Institute, U.S, Russian, Pacific, East China Seas, Thomson Locations: Taoyuan, United States, Paraguay, Taiwan, Rights TAOYUAN, China, U.S, New York, San Francisco, Taipei, Beijing, Okinawa, Miyako, East, Tokyo

☆ China military action to US stopover would be election interference, Taiwan VP says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Taiwan's Vice President William Lai speaks during a welcome dinner in Asuncion, Paraguay, in this handout picture released on August 15, 2023. Taiwanese officials say China could launch military drills this week, using Lai's stopovers in the United States as a pretext to intimidate voters ahead of an election next year and make them "fear war". China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has an particular dislike of Lai who has in the past described himself as a "practical worker for Taiwan independence". China considers Taiwan to be its most sensitive and important political and diplomatic issue, and it is a constant source of Sino-U.S. friction. China says Taiwan has no right to state-to-state ties and has been trying to pick off Taiwan's remaining diplomatic allies.

Persons: William Lai, Lai, Tsai Ing, Kevin McCarthy, Lai's, Li Shangfu, Deb Haaland, King Felipe VI, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Taipei's, Ben Blanchard, Lincoln Organizations: Taiwan Presidential, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Taiwan, Central News Agency, U.S, Chinese Defence, Thomson Locations: Asuncion , Paraguay, Taiwan, Rights TAIPEI, U.S, China, Paraguay, United States, January's, New York, California, Central America, York, San Francisco, Taipei, Moscow, Asuncion, Honduras, Beijing

☆ Taiwan sees no Chinese military response to VP's US trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Yimou Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoTAIPEI, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Taiwan's defence ministry said on Tuesday it has not seen large-scale exercises or any other action by the Chinese military near the island after China condemned a brief U.S. visit by Taiwan Vice President William Lai. When asked at a press conference about Chinese military activity in response to Lai's trip, defence ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang, said it was the responsibility of the armed forces to track any Chinese activities near Taiwan. However, Taiwan had not seen any "relatively large-scale" drills or actions by China's military, he said. Beijing has launched almost daily military incursions into Taiwan's air defence zone in recent years seeking to pressure Taipei to accept Chinese sovereignty. Both Taiwan and the United States are aiming for Lai's U.S. stop-overs to be as low-key as possible, saying that such transits are routine.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, William Lai, Lai, Sun Li, Sun, Su, Tsai Ing, Kevin McCarthy, Taiwan Premier Chen Chien, jen, Chen, Yimou Lee, Ben Blanchard, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Taiwan, Lai's U.S, U.S, Chinese Communist Party, Thomson Locations: TAIPEI, China, U.S, William Lai . China, Paraguay, Taiwan, Beijing, Taipei, San Francisco, California, United States, New York, Taiwan Premier, Lai's

☆ Taiwan will not back down to threats, Taiwan VP says on US trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Taiwan's Vice President William Lai speaks during a luncheon in New York City, New York, U.S., in this handout picture released on August 14, 2023. Lai told a supporters lunch in New York on Sunday that "if Taiwan is safe, the world is safe, if the Taiwan Strait is peaceful, then the world is peaceful", according to Taiwan's presidential office. China considers Taiwan its most important diplomatic issue, and is a constant source of friction between Beijing and Washington, which is the island's most important international backer and arms supplier. Lai's speech was attended by Ingrid Larson, managing director of the American Institute in Taiwan, a U.S. government-run non-profit that carries out unofficial relations with Taiwan. China carried out war games around Taiwan in April after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen returned from California where she met U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy while also on a transit on her way back from Central America.

Persons: William Lai, Lai, Ingrid Larson, Tsai Ing, Kevin McCarthy, Ben Blanchard, Lincoln Organizations: Taiwan Presidential, REUTERS, American Institute, U.S, Eastern Theatre Command, Liberation Army, Taiwan, Central America, Thomson Locations: New York City , New York, U.S, Taiwan, REUTERS TAIPEI, Beijing, China, United States, Paraguay, San Francisco, New York, Washington, Republic of China, People's Republic of China, Taipei, California, Central

☆ China condemns visit of 'troublemaker' Taiwan VP to US
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Ryan Woo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has repeatedly denounced Lai's trip, which includes another stopover in San Francisco on Wednesday on his way back to Taipei. In a statement issued shortly after Lai landed in New York on a scheduled flight from Taipei, China's foreign ministry said it opposed any form of visit by "Taiwan independence separatists" to the United States. "Lai stubbornly adheres to the separatist position of Taiwan independence and is a troublemaker through and through," the ministry said. China has stepped up its military activities around Taiwan over the past three years, seeking to force the island into accepting Beijing's sovereignty. In April, China staged war games around Taiwan in an angry response to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen meeting U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California on a stopover on the way back to Taipei following her visit to Central America.

Persons: William Lai, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Lai, Lai's, Washington's, Laura Rosenberger, Wang Yi, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Tsai Ing, Kevin McCarthy, Ryan Woo, Yimou Lee, Ben Blanchard, William Mallard, Jamie Freed Organizations: Taoyuan International Airport, REUTERS, Carlos Garcia Rawlins BEIJING, Taiwan, U.S, American Institute, Eastern Theatre Command, Liberation Army, Chinese Foreign, Central America, Thomson Locations: Taoyuan, United States, New York, Paraguay, Taiwan, U.S, Beijing, China, San Francisco, Taipei, Taiwan Strait, Washington, California, Central

BEIJING/TAIPEI, July 17 (Reuters) - China reacted with anger on Monday to a planned visit next month to the United States by "separatist" Taiwan presidential frontrunner Vice President William Lai, as the government in Taipei said it saw no reason to overreact to mere transit stops. Such transits infuriate China, which views them as covert support by the United States for Taiwan's separateness from China and challenge to Beijing's territorial claims. "China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between the United States and Taiwan, resolutely opposes sneaky visits by Taiwan independence separatists in any name or for any reason, and resolutely opposes any form of connivance by the United States to support Taiwan independence separatists," she said. Speaking to reporters, Taiwan Vice Foreign Minister Alexander Yui declined to give details on Lai's U.S. transits, saying details would come later. Pena visited Taiwan last week and met both Lai and Tsai, who cannot run for office again after serving two terms.

Persons: William Lai, Lai, Santiago Pena, Tsai Ing, Tsai, Kevin McCarthy, Mao Ning, Pena, Alexander Yui, Yui, Liz Lee, Ben Blanchard, Kim Coghill, Lincoln, Michael Perry Organizations: Central America, Foreign Ministry, Taiwan, Foreign, U.S, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, TAIPEI, China, United States, Taiwan, Taipei, U.S, Taiwan's, Los Angeles, Central, Beijing, Paraguay, Republic of China

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