Any Chinese military action in response to Vice President William Lai’s (賴清德) stopovers in the US would be an attempt by China to interfere in the nation’s elections, Lai said during a trip to Paraguay.
Taiwanese officials said that China could launch military drills this week, using Lai’s US stopovers as a pretext to intimidate voters ahead of next year’s presidential election and make them “fear war.”
Lai is the front-runner to become president in January’s election.
Photo: Chen Yun, Taipei Times
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday in Asuncion, where he arrived via New York, Lai said that such US transits were routine and China had no cause to use them as an excuse to “verbally and militarily intimidate Taiwan.”
“If China uses the transits as an excuse to again launch verbal and military intimidation or other threatening methods, it just confirms international media reports that China is attempting to intervene in Taiwan’s election with military threats,” he said.
Lai has also rejected speculation that the US gave him a muted reception during the stopover in New York, saying that the stay was handled in a “steady” and “responsible” manner.
Defending the stopover, he said that certain reports about the visit were untrue and intended to “sow division between Taiwan and the US,” and “create misconceptions” in Taiwan with the aim of “swaying next year’s elections.”
China is promoting narratives that either the US has doubts about Lai or that Taiwanese were unsure about the US, he said, adding that they were part of Beijing’s attempts to interfere with the elections by driving a wedge between Taipei and Washington.
Lai added that he has confidence in Taiwanese.
“There is no question on the US’ support for Taiwan and its determination in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” he said. “I have myself stated many times that I will defend Taiwan’s sovereignty, and uphold peace and stability in the region.”
Regarding how both sides of the Taiwan Strait could improve their trust in each other, Lai said that goodwill from Taiwan has always existed, and Taiwan is always the first to offer help whenever disasters occur in China.
“Cross-strait exchanges could create mutual benefits ... it is hoped that everyone can come to the understanding that cross-strait peace and stability is not only good for China or Taiwan, but also for the international community,” he said.
China has denounced Lai’s stop in New York and said he is a separatist “troublemaker.”
Taipei and Washington have sought to keep Lai’s US stopovers low key, and Lai said that there were “no special arrangements” to meet with US officials.
He was yesterday to arrive in San Francisco before returning to Taiwan on Friday.
While in New York, he met with Taiwanese expatriates at public events and attended a baseball game with Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), he said.
Lai said that the arrangements reflected the US’ consideration for his safety, comfort, convenience and dignity during the stopover — the US’ standard principles for transits of Taiwanese officials — and did not deviate from his previous trips to the US in 2020 and last year.
In contrast to previous stopovers, Lai did not meet with any US administration officials during his New York stay, which he said he had not planned to do because of his “tight” schedule.
Additional reporting by CNA
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