Taiwan Rejects China Pressure Ahead of House Speaker Meeting

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech as she attends a banquet hosted by Belizean Prime Minister John Briceno, in Belize, in this handout picture released on April 4, 2023. (Taiwan Presidential Office/Handout via Reuters)
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech as she attends a banquet hosted by Belizean Prime Minister John Briceno, in Belize, in this handout picture released on April 4, 2023. (Taiwan Presidential Office/Handout via Reuters)
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Taiwan Rejects China Pressure Ahead of House Speaker Meeting

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech as she attends a banquet hosted by Belizean Prime Minister John Briceno, in Belize, in this handout picture released on April 4, 2023. (Taiwan Presidential Office/Handout via Reuters)
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech as she attends a banquet hosted by Belizean Prime Minister John Briceno, in Belize, in this handout picture released on April 4, 2023. (Taiwan Presidential Office/Handout via Reuters)

Taiwan pushed back against threats of retaliation by China, ahead of an expected meeting between President Tsai-Ing-wen and the US House speaker Wednesday that will underscore her government's claim to sovereignty.

Tsai has been visiting the island's remaining diplomatic allies in Latin America, Belize and Guatemala. The most politically sensitive part of her trip will be a meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles while she transits on her way back home.

China views Taiwan as its own territory and treats any dealings between US and Taiwanese officials as a challenge to its sovereignty. Tsai's tour is a bid to demonstrate that her government has international support.

Belize and Guatemala are two of just 13 countries that formally recognize Taiwan, a number that has dipped as China has put pressure on and funneled money into isolating the island. Tsai's Latin American trip comes just a week after Honduras announced it was cutting ties with Taiwan in favor of China, potentially prompted by a $300 million hydroelectric dam project in central Honduras built by a Chinese company.

Last week, and again on Monday, China threatened with countermeasures if Tsai met with McCarthy. The Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles issued a statement Monday saying it opposed any “any form of contact” between Taiwan authorities and the US.

“The reality and current situation that both sides of the (Taiwan) Strait belong to one China is very clear,” the statement said.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said at a daily news briefing Tuesday that China “will closely follow the developments and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it has never been part of China, and that China's recent criticism has become increasingly “absurd.”

“Taiwan, the Republic of China, is a sovereign country, and has the right to make its own determination in developing relations with other countries in the world,” it said in a statement. “It does not accept interference or suppression by any country for any reason, and will not limit itself because of intimidation or interference.”

The United States’ longstanding “one-China” policy acknowledges that the Chinese claim Taiwan as their territory. However, the US does not endorse that claim and remains Taiwan’s most important provider of military hardware and other defense assistance.

China has repeatedly asserted its claim to Taiwan, though Taiwan maintains its own democratic system of government since the sides split after a civil war in 1949.

Keeping up the military pressure, China's People’s Liberation Army sent 20 warplanes toward Taiwan Monday to Tuesday as well as three warships in the latest round of exercises, which have increased significantly in recent years.

China regularly sends warplanes around the island and has at times seemingly used the exercises as a demonstration of its ire.

Last December, China sent 71 planes and seven ships toward Taiwan in a 24-hour display of force after it expressed anger at Taiwan-related provisions in a US annual defense spending bill.

And last year, China responded to a visit by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan with the largest live-fire drills in decades that included firing a missile over the island, which had landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone.

The PLA’s increased military activity near Taiwan has raised concerns among regional governments, and also drawn greater international attention and rhetorical support for Taiwan’s defense. US legislators have also started visiting Taiwan at a greater frequency, as anti-China sentiment and concerns over China's strategic position grows in Congress.



Tehran Ready for Negotiations with Washington ‘Based on Trust’

Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani. (Jamaran news)
Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani. (Jamaran news)
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Tehran Ready for Negotiations with Washington ‘Based on Trust’

Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani. (Jamaran news)
Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani. (Jamaran news)

The Iranian government stated on Tuesday that upcoming negotiations in Geneva over its nuclear program will be guided by the directives of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the interests of the Iranian people.

Iran plans to hold talks on Friday in Geneva with France, Britain and Germany, following a recent resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) censuring Tehran for its lack of cooperation on its nuclear activities.

Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani confirmed that the meeting between Iran’s deputy foreign minister and representatives from the three European nations will proceed under the framework of “national interests as emphasized by the Supreme Leader.” She noted that discussions will encompass bilateral, regional and international issues, including the crises in Gaza and Lebanon and broader efforts to promote peace in the region.

Asked about the possibility of direct negotiations with the United States, Mohajerani stated that Tehran is “open to considering any proposal aligned with its national interests.” However, she stressed that “dialogue requires respect and trust, which cannot be built through mere rhetoric.”

Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Deputy Foreign Minister for International Affairs, will lead the Iranian delegation at the Geneva talks, according to Iranian media.

Media outlets close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) expressed cautious optimism about the Geneva talks, but tempered expectations. The IRGC-affiliated Nour News described the meeting as a “small but significant opportunity for both sides to find common ground and reduce unnecessary tensions that have strained their relations in recent years.”

Both Iran and its European counterparts appear inclined to pursue de-escalation and resume diplomatic channels to resolve disputes, it reported. Analysts quoted by the site characterized the talks as “an essential step in rebuilding trust between Iran and Europe.” If sustained, these efforts could end the two-year stalemate in negotiations over the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The IAEA’s Board of Governors recently passed a resolution urging Iran to increase its cooperation with the agency. The resolution called for the IAEA Director General to deliver “a comprehensive and updated assessment on the possible presence or use of undeclared nuclear materials in connection with Iran’s past and current nuclear activities.”

Western powers, including the United States, France, Britain and Germany, dismissed Iran’s last-minute proposal to limit its stockpile of 60%-enriched uranium—close to weapons-grade—as “inadequate and insincere.”

In response, Iran announced the activation of advanced centrifuges at its Fordow and Natanz uranium enrichment facilities.

Despite the heightened tensions, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei underscored Tehran’s commitment to a policy of engagement and cooperation. He framed the upcoming talks as a continuation of discussions held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Iranian media claimed that Tehran has refrained from actions that could complicate negotiations in recent months. However, they accused European powers of taking “unconstructive measures” that have hindered the diplomatic process.