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Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen meets with Speaker McCarthy at Reagan Library

April 5, 2023

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen arrived at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley on a chilly Wednesday morning, April 5, for a historic meeting with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

“The friendship between America and the people of Taiwan has never been stronger,” McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, said in a tweet. “It is my honor to welcome President (Tsai) to the (Reagan Library).”

Tsai’s visit with McCarthy comes during a stopover on her way home after visits to Belize and Guatemala.

President Tsai Ing-wen is greeted by @SpeakerMcCarthy upon her arrival. pic.twitter.com/OGVkDcW7qN

— Hanna Kang (@byhannakang) April 5, 2023

She arrived amid countering demonstrators, some holding Taiwan flags and banners while others waved Chinese flags.

China views interactions between U.S. and Taiwanese officials as a challenge to its claim to the island as its territory. The United States broke off official ties with Taiwan in 1979, while formally establishing diplomatic relations with the Beijing government.

Taiwan supporters outside of the Reagan Library where President Tsai Ing-wen was welcomed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy at a bipartisan meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen attends a bipartisan meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen attends a bipartisan meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is welcomed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to a bipartisan meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen is greeted by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as she arrives for a bipartisan meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy greets Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. (Photo by David Crane/Southern California News Group)

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen arrives at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley for a meeting with Speaker Kevin McCarthy and a bipartisan congressional coalition. (Photo by David Crane, LA Daily News)

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen talk with the media after a bipartisan meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaks with the media after a bipartisan meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen tours the Ronald Reagan Library with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as she arrives for a bipartisan meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. Tsai Ing-wen met house members at a bipartisan meeting. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

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A representative for the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles condemned the planned meeting, saying the Chinese government is the “sole legal government representing the whole of China,” and Taiwan is “an inalienable part of China’s territory.”

A plane with a banner reading, “One China! Taiwan is part of China!” in red lettering circled the presidential library while a large crowd of local, national and international media congregated outside and the Taiwanese president and McCarthy were inside.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, last year, visited Taiwan. In an opinion piece published around the time of her visit, she said: “We must stand with Taiwan.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day.

City News Service and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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