China vows ‘forceful’ response to Taiwan vice president’s US visit

Lai has been far more outspoken about independence than Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen, to whom Beijing is already hostile because it refuses to accept her idea of ​​Taiwan as part of China.

The Harvard-educated doctor-turned-politician has previously described himself as a “pragmatic Taiwan independence activist”, and this week spoke to a local television channel to reiterate that Taiwan is “not part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)”. “.

“The Republic of China and the PRC are not subservient to each other,” he said, using the official name of Taiwan.

Upon landing in New York on Sunday, Lai said on Twitter, now rebranded as X: “Happy to be in the Big Apple, a symbol of freedom, democracy and opportunity,” he told the American Institute at the airport. He was welcomed by the representatives of In Taiwan, the de facto embassy of the United States for the island.

“Looking forward to meeting friends and attending transit events in New York,” he wrote.

Lai is expected to continue to Paraguay, then stop in San Francisco on the way back.

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