Chinese Embassy warns lawmakers against meeting with Taiwan president

The Chinese Embassy in Washington is warning House lawmakers against meeting with Taiwan’s president in Los Angeles, describing such interactions as “serious political provocations.”

Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), a member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, posted what she said was an email from the Chinese Embassy expressing “firm opposition” to a meeting hosted by Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. 

The email appeared to be sent from Li Xiang, counselor for the congressional section of the Chinese Embassy. It said China “strongly opposes all forms of contact of the U.S. officials with the Taiwan authorities, including Speaker McCarthy’s meeting with Tsai Ing-wen, no matter where the meeting takes place.” 

Li rejected suggestions that Tsai’s travel through the U.S. is private “transit,” careful language employed by the Taiwanese government and the White House to avoid labeling the trip as official diplomatic travel. The Taiwan president’s trip included stops in New York last week and Los Angeles on Wednesday. 

The Hill has reached out to the Chinese Embassy for comment. 

The People’s Republic of China, the formal name of the government of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing, opposes all interactions between foreign governments and the democratic government of Taipei, which refers to itself as the Republic of China.

While the U.S. recognizes the PRC as the official government of China, it maintains unofficial ties with Taipei and seeks to support the democratic government negotiating with Beijing over any efforts at reunification from a position of strength. 

In the email to lawmakers, Li raised warnings over escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait related to the meetings between Tsai and U.S. officials.

“If the U.S. side truly hopes that the Taiwan Strait remains peaceful and stable, the first and foremost thing for the U.S. to do is oppose and contain ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces, rather than condoning and supporting its leader,” the email said.

Hinson later posted a photo to Twitter of a meeting with Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, where McCarthy hosted lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to meet with the Taiwanese leader. 

“It was an honor to meet with President Tsai today,” Hinson tweeted. “As the CCP continues their aggression toward Taiwan, as well as their deceptive global trade practices, our relationship and shared commitment to freedom and democracy will only strengthen.”

The White House has warned Chinese officials publicly and privately to hold off on “overreacting” or harsh retaliation measures in response to Tsai’s transit through the U.S.

China previously conducted live-fire military drills around the island in response to former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) trip to Taiwan in August 2022.