The Chinese Embassy sent a foreboding email to several top members of Congress this week ahead of scheduled meetings with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, warning the Chinese government would “not sit idly by” if the lawmakers follow through with their plans.
The letter was sent to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and a number of other representatives who are set to meet with Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California on Wednesday. The highly anticipated meeting comes amid tensions between Taiwan and China, as the latter has repeatedly claimed to own the island.
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“I would like to reiterate that the Chinese side strongly opposes any form of official interaction between the US and Taiwan, strongly opposes any visit to the US by the leader of the Taiwan authorities regardless of the rationale or pretext, and strongly opposes all forms of contact,” Li Xiang, the counselor for the Chinese Embassy, wrote in the letter. “I have to point out that China will not sit idly by in the face of a blatant provocation and will most likely take necessary and resolute actions in response to the unwanted situation.”
Tsai’s visit marks a historic moment as it’s the first time the president of Taiwan has met with a House speaker on U.S. soil. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) traveled to Taiwan to meet with Tsai last year, prompting concerns that such a visit would spark aggression from Chinese officials.
The letter specifically mentioned Pelosi’s trip, with Li noting the California Democrat’s presence had “triggered a serious crisis” in China’s relationship with the United States.
“The lessons should be learned,” Li wrote. “The Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests. It is fundamental to the political foundation of China-US relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in this relationship.”
Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA), who also received a copy of the email, called the threats a “pathetic” attempt from the Chinese Communist Party.
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“We will relentlessly stand up for freedom and with Taiwan, and we are never going to cower,” Hinson said in a statement to Punchbowl News. “My message back to them is this: I look forward to meeting with President Tsai and reaffirming our commitment to Taiwan and freedom-loving nations everywhere.”
McCarthy’s meeting on Wednesday comes after Tsai met with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) last week while she was visiting New York. During that visit, Tsai also met with Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), according to CNN.
