In the face of China's threat of retaliation, Taiwan has defended President Tsai Ing-wen's plan to meet with US lawmakers, led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, in California on Wednesday.
According to a statement from the Taiwanese Presidential Office, it is within the right of the 23 million Taiwanese people to have exchanges with democratic countries, and there is no room for China to comment. McCarthy, a California Republican, confirmed in a statement on Monday that the bipartisan meeting will take place at the Reagan Presidential Library in Southern California.
In response, Mao Ning, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman in Beijing, stated that China would take "resolute measures" to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, potentially including military drills. During her trip, Tsai also met with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries in New York.