Taiwan's Lai talks 'China threats' with Pelosi

HONOLULU

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te discussed "China's military threats" toward the island in a call with former U.S. House speaker Nancy Pelosi on Dec. 1, drawing a fresh barrage of criticism from Beijing.

Pelosi's long-standing support for Taiwan has infuriated China, which responded to her visit to Taipei in 2022 with massive military drills around the island.

Lai and Pelosi discussed "China's military threats toward Taiwan", presidential spokeswoman Karen Kuo told reporters, describing the 20-minute call between the "long-time friends" as "warm and amicable."

China, which insists the island is part of its territory, opposes any international recognition of Taiwan and its claim to be a sovereign state.

Beijing especially bristles at official contact between the island and the United States, which is Taiwan's most important supporter and biggest arms supplier.

China has already fumed over more U.S. arms sales to the island and Lai's stop in Hawaii, where he was welcomed with red carpets, garlands of flowers and "alohas."

In response to Lai's conversation with Pelosi, China called on the United States to "stop meddling with Taiwan" and cease "supporting and indulging Taiwan independence separatist forces."

"The Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-U.S. relations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing.

Since arriving in Hawaii on Nov. 30 at the start of a Pacific tour, Lai has met with state Governor Josh Green, members of the U.S. Congress, officials from the de facto U.S. embassy in Taiwan and others.