Taiwan president's trip to US is 'consistent' with One China policy despite Beijing uproar, White House says
Taiwanese Preisdent Tsai Ing-wen has transited US six times, White House says
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The White House says Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen's trip across the U.S. is "consistent" with the One China policy and urged Beijing not to overreact to the development Wednesday.
NSC Strategic Communications Director John Kirby made the statement to reporters during a press briefing at the White House on Wednesday. He pointed out that President Tsai has transited the U.S. six times since gaining office in 2016, and each incident came and went without objection from Beijing.
"There's no reason for them to react harshly," Kirby told reporters, before urging China not to use the incident as an excuse to escalate tensions.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A reporter pressed Kirby about whether the White House was worried the transit might cause a "Pelosi 2.0 scenario," referencing former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan last year that China responded to with massive military drills.
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National Security Council spokesman John Kirby urged China not to overreact as Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen transits the United States for the seventh time. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen will travel across the U.S. for the seventh time since entering office next week. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)
"We'll let Beijing speak for itself, and as I said…there's no reason for them to react harshly or overreact in any way," Kirby responded. "This is a common occurrence. President Tsai Ing-wen has done this six times before. Other presidents of Taiwan have transited the United States. There's nothing unusual about this."
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Beijing has threatened "resolute countermeasures" should Tsai follow through with a potential meeting with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during her transit.
Beijing has repeatedly alleged the U.S. and Taiwan are acting in secret to push for Taiwan’s independence and threatened "resolute countermeasures" should the two leaders meet. Tsai is scheduled to meet McCarthy on Wednesday, April 5, when the head of the self-governing island democracy visits Los Angeles.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We firmly oppose this and will take resolute countermeasures," Zhu Fenglian, the spokesperson for the Cabinet’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said during a press conference on Wednesday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered his military to be prepared for an invasion of Taiwan by 2027, according to the CIA. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
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Beijing has long argued that Taiwan is its sovereign terrority. The island split from the mainland in 1949 after democratic forces lost a civil war to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.