China says it 'firmly opposes' Taiwan leader visiting the US: Video

China has reiterated its strong opposition to any form of official contact between the United States and Taiwan. This follows reports denied by Taipei that Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te had recently sought to visit the U.S. but was turned down by Washington.

"China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the United States and Taiwan, and firmly opposes the leaders of the Taiwan region visiting the United States under any name or for any reason," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a press briefing.

The comments come amid heightened cross-strait tensions, as Beijing continues to view Taiwan as a breakaway province with no right to independent diplomatic engagement. Taiwan has rejected the reported visit plans, calling them inaccurate.