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China slaps sanctions on US Congressman Michael McCaul after meddlesome junket to Taiwan

A US delegation led by McCaul visited Taiwan in early April despite a strong protest from the Chinese authorities

BEIJING, April 13. /TASS/. The Chinese government has imposed sanctions on US Congressman Michael McCaul, a Republican from Texas and the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who visited Taiwan early in April, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

"Texas Republican Congressman Michael McCaul has in recent years repeatedly interfered, in word and deed, in China's internal affairs, thus harming the country's interests, most recently leading a delegation to visit the Taiwan region of the PRC, thereby seriously violating the 'One China' principle and the provisions of the China-US communique," the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs said in a statement.

McCaul's activity seriously undermines China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and sends the wrong signal to "separatist forces" advocating for "‘Taiwan’s independence," the foreign ministry said in the statement.

The Chinese authorities are freezing [the congressman’s] personal and real property, effective April 13, 2023, as well as other types of property held in China, if any. Moreover, Chinese legal entities and individuals are prohibited from entering into any transactions with McCaul. In addition, he is prohibited from obtaining a Chinese visa and entering the People’s Republic of China.

A US delegation led by McCaul visited Taiwan in early April despite a strong protest from the Chinese authorities.

Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the remaining Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after being defeated in China’s civil war. Since then, Taiwan has preserved the flag and some other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed in mainland China before the Communists came to power. Beijing regards the island as one of its provinces and this position is supported by most countries, including Russia.

The United States severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 and established relations with China. While recognizing the "One China" policy, Washington simultaneously continues to maintain contact with the Taipei administration and supplies the island with weaponry. In 2020, the administration of the then-President Donald Trump significantly intensified contacts and exchanges with Taiwan amid worsening relations with Beijing over the situation in Hong Kong, which prompted protests from the Chinese authorities. Tensions in the Taiwan Strait region seriously escalated after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island on August 2-3, 2022, which triggered sharp criticism from Beijing.

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