Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made these statements regarding the announced stopover of Vice President of Taiwan William Lai Ching-te in the United States on his way to Paraguay next month.

Chen assured that the Taiwanese compatriots will see more and more clearly that the separatists are “rioters against peace and stability across the Straits.”

Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning stressed that respecting the One China principle is the very core of Beijing’s interests and the first red line that must not be crossed.

Mao added that China will closely monitor the situation and take measures to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity.

William Lai Ching-te, 63, was nominated by Taiwan’s ruling pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party to run for Taiwan’s president.

The reports of the politician’s possible stopover in the United States came amid increased interaction between top officials from the United States and China, who are seeking to ease their bilateral relations.

Issues like Taiwan, human rights and economic warfare have caused US-China ties to be at one of the worst moments in their history.

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