On April 5, 2023, US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is set to meet with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen during her transit through California, a move that is expected to anger China. McCarthy’s office confirmed the “bipartisan meeting” will take place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, which is 40 miles from downtown Los Angeles. China had warned against hosting the Taiwanese leader, saying it would take “resolute measures” to protect Chinese sovereignty. Under the “One China” policy, the US recognizes the People’s Republic of China in Beijing over the Republic of China in Taipei as the sole and legal government of China, but takes no position on Taiwan’s sovereignty, contending that the island’s future should be determined by peaceful means.
The White House has stated that it cannot speak for Kevin McCarthy or his agenda. While McCarthy is a high-ranking Republican leader, he does not represent the official position of the Biden administration. However, the meeting is still expected to further strain the already tense relationship between the US and China, especially since China has warned against any official interaction or contact between the US and Taiwan authorities. The “One China” policy is a longstanding diplomatic approach followed by the United States and other countries to maintain a relationship with both the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Beijing and the Republic of China (ROC) in Taipei, without officially recognizing Taiwan’s sovereignty or independence. The policy acknowledges that there is only one China in the world, and that the PRC is the sole legal government representing the entirety of China, including Taiwan. The US does not recognize Taiwan as an independent country, but rather recognizes the PRC as the legitimate government of China.
