China Reiterates Its Opposition Amid Reports Of Pentagon Officials Possible Taiwan Visit

The United States must comply with the one-China principle and stop any form of official exchanges and military ties with Taiwan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Friday, commenting on media reports of a potential imminent visit to the island by US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China Michael Chase.

Earlier in the day, the Financial Times reported, citing sources, that the Pentagon official would visit Taiwan in the coming days, marking the first visit by a senior US defense official to the island since 2019. The report came amid a rift in relations between Washington and Beijing following the downing of a suspected spy balloon off the US coast.

"We strongly oppose official exchanges and military ties between the US and Taiwan, this is a clear and consistent position," the Chinese diplomat told a briefing.

Wang called on Washington to comply with the one-China policy and the provisions of the three joint China-US communiques, and urged Washington to stop causing tension in the Taiwan Strait.

At the same time, the diplomat did not answer when asked whether China will conduct military exercises in the event of Chase's visit to the island.