Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen is set to meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California on Wednesday in defiance of Beijing, which is outraged by warm relations between the U.S. and the island democracy it considers a breakaway province.
The Taiwanese leader and California Republican will meet at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library instead of in Taipei as originally conceived.
Mr. McCarthy’s office this week said the meeting will be a bipartisan affair with other lawmakers in attendance.
China was furious when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last year. Beijing increased military drills and suspended communication with the U.S. on various topics.
Tension is high, given fears that Beijing will invade Taiwan in an attempt to bring it under mainland control.
Ms. Tsai is meeting Mr. McCarthy as part of a North American trip that included a stop in New York, where she met with senators from both parties and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York Democrat.
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She also visited Guatemala and Belize, which diplomatically recognize Taiwan’s self-determination.
The visit with Mr. McCarthy is notable because of his high-level position. Beijing has called the meeting a provocation, raising prospects of retaliation of some kind.
The White House has responded to the Pelosi and McCarthy meetings delicately, saying congressional leaders have the right to do what they please while reiterating the one-China policy.
Under the policy, the U.S. government acknowledges Beijing’s belief in a single Chinese government while allowing for informal relations with Taiwan.
“President Tsai herself has made this transit about six times before. And again, there should be no reason for China to overreact here,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday. “There’s no change to our one-China policy. We’ve been very clear about that.”