China Warns US To 'Act Carefully' As Taiwan Dispute Heats Up: 'Internal Affair... No Outside Interference'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Beijing on Wednesday rejected Washington's claim that China is ramping up military pressure on Taiwan, noting that the statement is misleading and reflective of“malicious intent”.

"Certain people on the US side are jumping up and down, continuously rehashing the so-called 'mainland threat' or 'military pressure,'" Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, told reporters.

This represented "a complete distortion of the facts and harbours malicious intentions."

“Taiwan was an internal affair for China, which would brook no outside interference,” he added.

Chen further called on the United States to exercise utmost caution and deal with Taiwan-related matters 'carefully and prudently'.

China refuses to speak to Taiwan President

The remarks followed a call from the US State Department last week urging China to engage in dialogue with Taiwan and ease its military and other pressure on the island, after Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun met President Xi Jinping in Beijing. However, Beijing has declined to engage with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, labelling him a“separatist.” Lai, meanwhile, dismissed China's sovereignty claims, asserting that only the people of Taiwan have the right to determine their future.

Also Read | 'One family, who wants peace,' Xi tells Taiwan opposition leader in rare meeting

Cheng said she aimed to foster peace with her visit, when China unveiled measures it said would benefit Taiwan, such as easing controls on exports of food, though it did not cease regular military activities around the island during her trip.

Taiwan's government says it should be leading engagement efforts with China rather than private party-to-party contacts.

Cheng, whose visit was a month before one planned by US President Donald Trump, hopes China and the United States can reconcile and cooperate, she told a Taiwan radio station on Wednesday.

Also Read | Does the Iran war increase the risk of a Chinese attack on Taiwan?

"We can definitely go down the path of peace," said Cheng, the chairwoman of Taiwan's largest opposition party the Kuomintang, who plans to visit the United States this year.

"This is the important message I hope to send to Washington."

China has stepped up military activity around democratically governed Taiwan, which it views as its own territory, holding several rounds of war games, most recently with live-fire drills in late December.

MENAFN15042026007365015876ID1110984037