China criticizes Pentagon official’s visit to Taiwan

BEIJING (AP) — China sharply criticized a visit to Taiwan by a senior Pentagon official on Wednesday and reaffirmed its sanctions against Lockheed Martin and a Raytheon unit for supplying military equipment to the self-governing democratic island.

Comments from the Office of Taiwan Affairs highlighted the dramatic deterioration in relations between Beijing and Washington over Taiwan, technology, espionage allegations and, increasingly, the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Asked about the alleged visit of Michael Chase, deputy assistant secretary of defense for China, the spokesman of the Chinese department, Zhu Fenglian, said that Beijing “resolutely opposes any official interaction and military collaboration” between Washington and Taipei.

Efforts by Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party to shore up the island’s independence with foreign aid are “doomed to failure”, Zhu told reporters.

China views Taiwan as part of its territory that should be brought under its control by force if necessary, and has intensified its military and diplomatic harassment. They separated in 1949 at the height of the civil war, and the authoritarian Chinese Communist Party never controlled the island.

A Pentagon spokesperson did not comment directly on Chase’s visit but reiterated that “our commitment to Taiwan is strong and helps maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region.” on such a visit.

Tensions between the US and China have escalated after Washington accused Beijing of launching an alleged Chinese spy balloon which it shot down over the US East Coast. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a trip to the Chinese capital after the incident and warned last weekend that the White House feared Beijing was supplying Russia with weapons for its war in Ukraine.

China, which has declared an “unlimited” friendship with Russia, has refused to condemn Moscow’s actions, accusing the United States and NATO of having provoked the Kremlin and criticized the economic sanctions against its ally. Russia, for its part, has strongly supported Beijing on Taiwan. .

During a visit to Moscow on Tuesday, Communist Party Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the relationship between the two nations is “rock-solid” and “will stand the test of the unstable international situation”.

Also on Tuesday, a delegation of US lawmakers visiting Taiwan met with President Tsai Ing-wen, who expressed her desire to increase cooperation on issues ranging from security to climate change.