US-China News Live Updates: Beijing’s foreign ministry condemned Taiwan Vice President William Lai’s brief U.S. visit on Sunday, calling him a separatist and a “troublemaker through and through.”

Chinese foreign ministry officials said they opposed any trip by “Taiwan independence separatists” to the United States shortly after Lai landed in New York on a scheduled flight from Taipei.

“Lai stubbornly adheres to the separatist position of Taiwan independence and is a troublemaker through and through,” the ministry said.

Taiwan is the “core of China’s core interests” and facts have shown again and again that the reason for the rise in tensions in the Taiwan Strait is Taiwan trying to “rely on the United States to seek independence”, it said.

“China is closely following developments and will take resolute and vigorous measures to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”China has an especial dislike of Lai, who has previously described himself as a “practical worker for Taiwan independence”, though he has repeatedly said on the campaign trail he is not seeking to change the status quo, but that only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.

While on the stopover in New York, Lai is expected to speak at receptions with overseas Taiwanese.

He will not meet U.S. lawmakers, the person said, adding Lai will keep the visit “low key”, in line with Taipei and Washington’s shared position to “jointly manage risks when facing an authoritarian region at this sensitive time”.

Lai, greeted by supporters waving flags as he arrived at his New York hotel, wrote on social media platform X he was “looking forward to seeing friends and attending transit programs in New York”.

Laura Rosenberger, chair of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), a U.S. government-run non-profit that carries out unofficial relations with Taiwan, said on X that she would meet Lai in San Francisco, where he is due on Wednesday on his way home.