London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, May 09, 2025

"Will Not Stop Exchanges With The World": Taiwan President After US Visit

"Will Not Stop Exchanges With The World": Taiwan President After US Visit

China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, reacted with anger to the McCarthy meeting having demanded it not take place, though so far has held off ratcheting up military tensions to show its displeasure.
Taiwan will not be stopped from engaging with the world and will not give in to pressure, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Friday as she arrived back from a trip to Central America and United States, where she met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, reacted with anger to the McCarthy meeting having demanded it not take place, though so far has held off ratcheting up military tensions to show its displeasure.

Speaking after stepping off her flight, Tsai said her enthusiastic welcome overseas was a powerful message.

"We showed the international community that in the face of pressure and threats Taiwan will be even more united and will absolutely not yield to suppression, nor due to obstructions stop exchanges with the world," she said at Taiwan's main international airport at Taoyuan outside of Taipei.

China staged war games around Taiwan last August following a visit to Taipei by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

While Taiwan has reported a Chinese aircraft carrier group far off its eastern coast, it has not reported any other unusual military movements.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office, in a statement released shortly after Tsai's flight landed, reiterated its opposition to her US trip, technically billed as a "transit" though in reality where her most important meetings took place.

"The so-called 'transit' is just an excuse, but it is actually a provocation, relying on the United States to seek independence," it said.

However, the statement did not announce any specific retaliatory steps.

But underscoring the sensitivity of Tsai's return, Taiwan's Defence Ministry denied, around 30 minutes before touchdown, a Taiwanese media report that her flight had been subjected to "unknown interference", saying this was not true.

It did say, though, that a special military task force was deployed to "control the whole process", using naval and air forces to stand guard.

Tsai travelled on an A350 specially chartered from Taiwan's China Airlines.

Tsai and her government reject China's sovereignty claims, saying only Taiwan's people can decide their future. She has repeatedly offered talks with China but been rebuffed, with Beijing viewing her as a separatist.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Incident Reflection: A Harsh Reality Check
Pakistani migrants to Danish man: “ “We have 5 children while you have 1 or 2. In 10 years, there will be more Pakistanis than Danes here.“
Clashes Erupt in London as Tensions Rise Between Indian and Pakistani Communities
Specialized anti-drone weapons deployed among security personnel Ahead of Papal Funeral
How do you fix this culture?
×