Mainland voices strong opposition to Lai transiting US

The Chinese mainland expressed strong opposition on Sunday to Taiwan's leader Lai Ching-te's possible transiting the United States.

Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remark after it was reported that Lai will transit through Hawaii during his visit to Pacific island nations next week.

"We firmly oppose official exchanges between the US and Taiwan, and we firmly oppose Taiwan's leader transiting the US under any pretext or reason. This position is consistent and clear," said Chen.

Since Lai's administration took office, they have persistently adhered to a separatist "Taiwan independence" stance, continuously provoking separatist activities, escalating cross-Strait confrontation, posing a serious threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and seriously harming the safety and well-being of Taiwan compatriots, he said.

"No matter what tricks Lai's administration uses to manipulate separatism, it cannot shake the fundamental framework of the international community's adherence to the one-China principle or hinder the historical trend of China's ultimate reunification," he added.

Chen urged the US to adhere to the one-China principle and the provisions of the three Sino-US joint communiques, to recognize the separatist nature and harm of Lai's administration, and to handle the Taiwan question with utmost caution.