China’s Foreign Ministry sanctioned US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul for visiting Taiwan on Thursday, saying he sent a “seriously wrong signal to Taiwan independence separatist forces.”
China considers democratically governed Taiwan to be its own territory and strongly opposes all high-level interactions between foreign and Taiwanese officials, particularly those involving Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.
McCaul visited Taipei last week and met with Tsai, promising to assist in the training of Taiwan’s armed forces and expedite the delivery of weapons.
According to China’s Foreign Ministry, McCaul, a Republican, frequently interfered in Chinese internal affairs with his words and actions, endangering China’s interests.
He recently led a delegation to Taiwan, which “seriously harmed China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while sending a seriously wrong signal to Taiwan independence separatist forces,” according to the statement.
According to China’s anti-sanctions law, McCaul will be barred from entering the country, barred from interacting with organizations and individuals in China, and his assets in China will be frozen, according to the ministry.
China claims that Taiwan is the most important and sensitive issue in its relations with the US. Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s claims of sovereignty.
China has a history of sanctioning foreign lawmakers and officials, often for criticizing China, speaking in support of Taiwan, or visiting the island, as a deputy Lithuanian minister did last year.
China sanctioned several Trump administration officials, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, shortly after Joe Biden was sworn in as the new President of the United States in early 2021.
Several senior Taiwanese officials have also been sanctioned by China.
