TAIPEI,Taiwan (AP) — China retaliated for the United States House speaker’s meeting with the Taiwanese president by announcing sanctions Friday against the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and other organizations, adding to strains over the self-governed island democracy Beijing claims as part of its territory.
Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy held talks Wednesday with President Tsai Ing-wen at the Reagan library in Simi Valley, California, in defiance of Chinese warnings. McCarthy joined a growing series of foreign legislators who have met Tsai in a show of support for Taiwan in the face of Chinese intimidation.
U.S.-Chinese relations have sunk to their lowest level in decades due to disputes over the status of Taiwan, which split with China in 1949 after a civil war, as well as security, technology and Beijing’s treatment of Hong Kong and Muslim ethnic minorities.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the Reagan library and the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank, were sanctioned for “providing a platform and convenience to Taiwan separatist activities.” It said Chinese institutions were prohibited from having any cooperation or contact with them. As part of her visit to the United States, Ms. Tsai received a Leadership Award from the Hudson Institute and delivered a speech on Taiwan’s regional security challenges.
McCarthy’s predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, flew to Taiwan in August to meet Tsai. Members of the European Parliament have also visited the island. Meanwhile, another congressional delegation is due to land in Taiwan on Thursday and meet with President Tsai on Saturday.
In addition, two of his groups in Asia, the Prospect Foundation and the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, have been sanctioned for their involvement in promoting Taiwan’s independence “under the guise of academic and research exchanges,” Taiwan Affairs said. Bureau spokesman Zhu Fenglian said. The Prospect Foundation is a government-funded think tank in Taiwan that engages in dialogue and cooperation on issues related to Taiwan’s security, economic and social development. The Asian Liberal Democratic Party Council is a Thailand-based regional organization that promotes exchanges between liberal and democratic political parties in Asia, including its member Progressive Democratic Party of Taiwan.
Separately, the Taiwanese Office announced further sanctions against Xiao Bikim, the US representative in Taiwan.
Xiao’s ban doesn’t seem too different from the ban Pelosi imposed on her when she visited Taiwan. China has announced sanctions against a list of people from the DPP and ruling government, including Xiao. It has since banned individuals, their families and related organizations from traveling or working in China, including Hong Kong. It also includes all of Xiao’s financial sponsors, according to Friday’s announcement.
