China warns of retaliation if US House speaker meets Taiwan president

China threatened on Wednesday to retaliate if McCarthy meets Tsai during her planned transit through the United States, saying any such move would be a "provocation."

Zhu Fenglian, the spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, told reporters in Beijing that Tsai's "transits" out of the United States were being used as a pretext for her to meet US officials and lawmakers.

"If she contacts US House Speaker McCarthy, it will be another provocation that seriously violates the one-China principle, harms China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and destroys peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," Zhu said, shortly before Tsai left.

"We firmly oppose this and will definitely take measures to resolutely fight back," Zhu added, without giving details.

Taiwan president, leaving for US, says pressure won't be a deterrent

China, which claims democratically-ruled Taiwan as its territory, has repeatedly warned US officials not to meet Tsai, viewing it as support for the island's desire to be seen as a separate country.

China staged war games around Taiwan last August when then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, and Taiwan's armed forces have said they are keeping watch for any Chinese moves when Tsai is abroad.

Tsai is going to Guatemala and Belize, transiting through New York first and Los Angeles on the way back. While not officially confirmed, she is expected to meet McCarthy while in California.

"External pressure will not hinder our determination to go to the world," she said at Taiwan's main international airport at Taoyuan, in a veiled reference to China.

"We are calm and confident, will neither yield nor provoke. Taiwan will firmly walk on the road of freedom and democracy and go into the world. Although this road is rough, Taiwan is not alone," she added.

Reuters