Why is China so angry about the Taiwan Vice President's U.S. trip?
The Hindu
China angry at Taiwan VP Lai's U.S. visit; Taiwan-U.S., China-U.S. and Taiwan-China relations strained. China views Lai as separatist and "troublemaker". U.S. has long followed policy of "strategic ambiguity" on defending Taiwan, but Biden willing to use force. Taiwan's people decide their future, but only 13 countries recognise it. China rebuffs Tsai's calls for talks, says both sides part of "one China".
China launched military drills around Taiwan on Saturday, the day after Taiwan Vice President William Lai returned to Taipei after making two stopovers in the United States as part of a trip to Paraguay, angering China which views him as a separatist and a "troublemaker".
Here are the key issues in Taiwan-U.S., China-U.S. and Taiwan-China relations, and why China is so upset about Mr. Lai's visit to the United States.
Taiwan is a deeply emotive issue for China's ruling Communist Party, and for Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The People's Republic of China has claimed Taiwan as its territory since the defeated Republic of China government fled to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists.
China has repeatedly called on U.S. officials not to engage with Taiwanese leaders or allow them into the country under any guise, viewing it as support for Taiwan's desire to be viewed as separate from China.
China has never renounced the use of force to bring democratically governed Taiwan under its control, and in 2005 passed a law giving Beijing the legal basis for military action against Taiwan if it secedes or seems about to.
China believes Mr. Lai to be a separatist for his previous comments about being a "worker" for Taiwan independence, though Mr. Lai says that as the Republic of China they are already an independent country.
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