台湾・頼総統、元米下院議長ペロシ氏と「中国の脅威」めぐり会談

【ホノルルＡＦＰ＝時事】台湾の頼清徳総統は１日、太平洋諸国歴訪の最初の訪問地米ハワイ州から、米民主党の重鎮ナンシー・ペロシ元下院議長と電話会談し、「中国の軍事的脅威」について協議した。（写真は米ハワイ州ホノルルのハワイ大学イースト・ウエスト・センターで演説に臨む台湾の頼清徳総統）
　台湾総統府のカレン・クオ報道官によると、両氏は約２０分にわたり「長年の友人同士」として「温かく友好的」に会談。「台湾に対する中国の軍事的脅威」などについて話し合った。
　台湾を自国領の一部と主張する中国は、台湾による主権の主張や、国際社会による台湾の国家承認に反対している。特に、台湾にとって最も重要な支援国かつ最大の兵器供給国でもある米国との公式な接触には、強烈に反発する。台湾を長年支持しているペロシ氏が２０２２年に訪台した際には、台湾周辺で大規模な軍事演習を行った。
　今回、頼総統による１週間の太平洋諸国歴訪前に米国は、台湾に対する推計３億８５００万ドル（約５８０億円）規模の兵器売却を承認した。このことや頼氏がハワイを訪問することに中国は怒りをあらわにしている。ハワイでは厚遇を受けている。
　中国外務省は先週末、米国に対し、「台湾への武器供与を直ちに停止し、『台湾独立』分離主義勢力に対する扇動・支援をやめるよう」要求。「中国は国家主権、安全、領土保全を断固として守るため、強力かつ断固とした対抗措置を取る」とした。
　また同省は別の声明で、頼氏のハワイ訪問について、米国を「強く非難する」と表明。米政府に「厳重に抗議した」と明らかにした。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/12/02-18:53）

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te discussed China's military threats toward the island in a call with former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday, drawing a fresh barrage of criticism from Beijing.
Pelosi's long-standing support for Taiwan has infuriated China, which responded to her visit to Taipei in 2022 with massive military drills around the island.
Lai and Pelosi discussed China's military threats toward Taiwan, presidential spokeswoman Karen Kuo told reporters, describing the 20-minute call between the long-time friends as warm and amicable.
China, which insists the island is part of its territory, opposes any international recognition of Taiwan and its claim to be a sovereign state.
Beijing especially bristles at official contact between the island and the United States, which is Taiwan's most important supporter and biggest arms supplier.
China has already fumed over more US arms sales to the island and Lai's stop in Hawaii, where he was welcomed with red carpets, garlands of flowers and alohas.
In response to Lai's conversation with Pelosi, China called on the United States to stop meddling with Taiwan and cease supporting and indulging Taiwan independence separatist forces.
The Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-US relations, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing.
Since arriving in Hawaii on Saturday at the start of a Pacific tour, Lai has met with state Governor Josh Green, members of the US Congress, officials from the de facto US embassy in Taiwan and others.
In his first public speech of the trip, Lai said Saturday that we have to fight together to prevent war, warning there were no winners from conflict.
On the eve of Lai's week-long Pacific tour, the United States approved a proposed sale to Taiwan of spare parts for F-16s and radar systems, as well as communications equipment, in deals valued at $385 million in total.
China's foreign ministry called on the United States over the weekend to immediately stop arming Taiwan.
China will take strong and resolute countermeasures to firmly defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, it added.?
In a separate statement, the foreign ministry said China strongly condemns the United States for Lai's stopover and that it had lodged serious protests with the US.
- 'Team Taiwan' -
Pelosi was one of several long-time friends in the United States whom Lai spoke to on Sunday, Kuo told reporters.
They included cross-party figures who reiterated their steadfast support for Taiwan, she said.
Lai and Pelosi also discussed artificial intelligence and the semiconductor industry, Kuo said.
The Taiwanese leader addressed the East-West Center in a closed-door forum on Sunday, emphasizing Taiwan's commitment to boosting its defenses and to its own security, as well as the shared commitment between Taiwan and the US to regional peace, according to Kuo.
Taiwan faces the constant threat of a military attack by China, which regularly deploys fighter jets and warships around the self-ruled island to press its claims, and Beijing has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control.
While the United States has sold billions of dollars worth of arms to Taiwan, Washington has long maintained a strategic ambiguity when it comes to putting boots on the ground to defend the island from Beijing.
Lai's remarks followed China's threats last week to resolutely crush any attempts for Taiwan independence and ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump taking office in January.
Trump caused jitters during his campaign by suggesting Taiwan should pay the United States for its defense and accusing the island of stealing the US semiconductor industry.
After Hawaii, Lai will visit Taiwan's allies the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau -- the only Pacific island nations among the 12 remaining allies that recognize Taiwan's claim to statehood -- and stop over for one night in the US territory of Guam.
Lai said shortly before take-off in Taipei that the trip ushered in a new era of values-based democracy and thanked the US government for helping to make this trip a smooth one.
He said he wanted to continue to expand cooperation and deepen partnerships with our allies based on the values of democracy, peace and prosperity.
I once again emphasize that we are all Team Taiwan. We all work together, and we can successfully achieve our goals, Lai told reporters on board the plane.