Taiwanese President Lai speaks by telephone from Guam with US Congressional leaders

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Taiwan President Lai Ching-te held phone calls with U.S. Congressional leaders Thursday during his visit to Guam, his second stop in the United States on a trip to the Pacific islands.

Lai said in an article on X that he spoke with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries to discuss security and economic cooperation.

He also spoke with U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, according to the post.

Taiwan is grateful for the bipartisan support of the US Congress as we advance peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, he wrote.

China, which considers Taiwan a renegade province, opposes any official interaction between the island's government and the United States. The United States is the main foreign supplier of weapons for Taiwan's defense and has naval and air bases on Guam.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian noted previous government statements on official U.S. interactions with Taiwan and said the Taiwan issue was central to China's core interests. China and constituted the first red line not to be crossed in Sino-American relations.

Lai arrived in Guam Wednesday evening after stops in Hawaii, the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu. From Guam, he headed to Palau, the final stop on his journey. He met with the Governor of Guam and addressed the Legislature, where he highlighted the shared values ​​and strategic importance of Taiwan and Guam in the Indo-Pacific region.

Let us together become the crucial force in defending freedom and democracy in the First Island Chain, he said, referring to a string of islands off the Asian mainland that includes Japan, Taiwan and part of the Philippines.

His remarks contrast with China's authoritarian, one-stop government, which claims Taiwan as its territory and says the self-ruled island must come under its control at some point in the future.

Lai's talks with Republican and Democratic leaders appeared intended to underscore bipartisan support for Taiwan in the U.S. Congress.

While in Hawaii, he also spoke with former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, whose 2022 visit to Taiwan sparked an angry response from China, including major military exercises around the island and the interruption of negotiations with the United States in several areas, including defense.

Taiwan media said Lai had phone calls with Johnson and Jeffries and a video call with Wicker.

China's Foreign Ministry also announced sanctions on 13 U.S. companies and six executives on Thursday in response to recently announced arms sales to Taiwan. The executives include the president and vice president of Raytheons Naval Power's strategic business unit. The sanctions include a ban on entering China, including Hong Kong and Macau.

US attempts to aid Taiwan's independence by arming Taiwan will not shake our firm resolve to oppose Taiwan's independence and achieve national reunification, and will only push Taiwan into a dangerous situation. of military conflict, Lin said.

A resolution of the Guam Legislature welcomed Lai and expressed appreciation for Taiwan's significant contributions to Guam's economy and community, said Speaker Therese Terlaje.

Lai called for deeper cooperation with Guam, highlighting aquaculture, hydroponic agriculture, construction projects and alternative energy as potential areas for partnership.

The three Pacific island countries he visited, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, are among 12 governments that diplomatically recognize Taiwan. The rest of the world, including the United States, maintains official ties with the Chinese government in Beijing.

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