McCarthy to meet with Taiwan president as China threatens retaliation

April 3 (UPI) -- House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will meet with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday in California, despite China threatening retaliation and calling the meeting a "provocation."

McCarthy's office announced the meeting Monday, saying the California Republican will host a bipartisan meeting with Tsai at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Taiwan's presidential office has declined to confirm the meeting.

Tsai began her 10-day trip to the United States and Central America last Wednesday, prompting a warning from China if Tsai meets with McCarthy.

"If she contacts U.S. House Speaker McCarthy, it will be another provocation that seriously violates the one-China principle, harms China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and destroys peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," Zhu Frenglian, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said in a press conference last week.

Taiwan is a self-governing island democracy that China claims as its own.

Before she departed to the United States last week, Tsai said Taiwan has every right to "connect with the world."

"External pressure won't stop our determination from moving toward international society," she said. "We're calm, confident, uncompromising and unprovocative."

Tsai's first stop was to New York City, where she said Taiwan's relationship with the United States has "never been closer."

"We know that we are stronger when we stand together in solidarity with fellow democracies. Taiwan cannot be isolated and we do not take friendship for granted," Tsai said at a banquet with members of the Taiwanese-American community.

Last August, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with Tsai in Taiwan as a furious China conducted extensive and provacative military exercises near the democratic island and imposed economic sanctions. It was the first time a U.S. House speaker had visited Taiwan in 25 years.

Tensions between the U.S. and China escalated in February after U.S. fighter jets shot down and retrieved a Chinese spy balloon from the Atlantic Ocean. China claimed the balloon was operating for civilian purposes and had been blown off course.

McCarthy's office has not specified yet which other members of Congress are expected to join Wednesday's meeting. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said in a statement that China Select Committee Chairman, Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., is expected to attend.