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The
United States is Taiwan's most important international backer
and arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties
with the island, which China views as its own territory.
Alexander Yui took up his new post last month, replacing Hsiao
Bi-khim, who is now running to be vice president in Taiwan's
elections on Saturday.
Taiwan's foreign ministry said Yui thanked the U.S. Congress for
its long-term, cross-party support for Taiwan and commitment to
strengthening the island's defences.
It said this was the first time the two men had met.
China staged war games around Taiwan in August of 2022 after
then-House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, and in Beijing
the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed anger at the Johnson-Yui
meeting.
U.S. lawmakers should "stop sending wrong signals to Taiwan
independence separatist forces and must not intervene in the
Taiwan region's elections in any form", spokesperson Mao Ning
told reporters.
China routinely objects to any form of what it views as official
contacts between Taiwanese and U.S. officials, saying it is an
interference in internal Chinese affairs. Beijing says Taiwan is
the most sensitive and important issue in Sino-U.S. relations.
Taiwan's government opposes China's sovereignty claims, saying
the People's Republic of China has never ruled the island and
has no right to speak for it or control it as only Taiwan's
people can do that.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Tom
Hogue and Michael Perry)
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