Taiwan condemns ‘fallacious’ Chinese comments on its election and awaits unofficial US visit

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan on Sunday condemned what it said were “fallacious comments” by China following the self-governing island’s presidential and parliamentary election the previous day.

The verbal sparring did not bode well for the future of Taiwan’s relations with China under the winner, President-elect Lai Ching-te, or for China’s relations with the United States.

The U.S. said it has asked two former officials to go to Taiwan this week for post-election meetings with political leaders, a move that will likely displease China.

Former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and former Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg will arrive in Taipei on Monday and have meetings on Tuesday, the American Institute in Taiwan said in a news release. The institute is the de-facto U.S. Embassy, since the United States does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Lai’s victory means the Democratic Progressive Party will continue to hold the presidency for a third four-year term, following eight years under President Tsai Ing-wen. China portrays the party as its nemesis and a major obstacle to its goal of bringing the island of 23 million people under its control.

A statement from Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry accused China’s Foreign Ministry and its Taiwan Affairs Office of falsehoods in the respective statements they issued Saturday night after the results of the election were announced.

It took issue specifically with China’s often-repeated line that Taiwan is a domestic Chinese issue. China regards Taiwan as a renegade province and says that it should not even have a foreign ministry or any official relations with foreign governments.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in its statement that “the Taiwan question is