Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Meet in California in Show of Solidarity, Despite Criticism from Chinese Officials.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are meeting in California on Wednesday, in a show of solidarity that has been met with criticism from Chinese officials. The meeting, which is taking place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, is the second time Tsai has met with an American lawmaker of that rank in the space of a year, following a visit from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in August.

The landmark meeting is also being attended by a bipartisan group of more than a dozen lawmakers, including the top Republican and top Democrat on the House’s new China select committee. McCarthy expressed his honor in welcoming Tsai to the Reagan Library, and expressed his gratitude for hearing her perspective.

Chinese officials have criticized the sit-down as a “provocation” and a violation of the one-China principle, under which Washington recognizes Beijing as the sole legitimate government of China. The meeting comes amid worsening Beijing-Washington tensions, and is seen as a show of support for Taiwan’s independence.

The meeting between Tsai and McCarthy is a highly anticipated event, and is seen as a significant show of solidarity between the US and Taiwan. It is unclear what the repercussions of the meeting will be, but it is likely to further strain relations between the US and China.