Sawt Falasteen - Taiwan VP to make US stopovers during Honduras visit

China regards democratic, self-ruled Taiwan as its own, to be retaken by force if necessary, and has long said its status is one of the most sensitive and important issues in Beijing's dealings with the United States.

Travel for Taiwanese diplomats regularly involves a stopover in an American state -- a move that typically provokes a rebuke from China.

Next week Vice President William Lai will lead a 26-member delegation to attend Xiomara Castro's inauguration and will stop in Los Angeles on the way, said presidential office spokesman Xavier Chang in a statement Thursday.

"On return, (the delegation) will stop in San Francisco for the night," Chang added.

Lai will speak with US officials over the phone or by video conference during the layovers, though the spokesman did not specify who.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Thursday reiterated Beijing's position on US stopovers for Taiwanese officials.

"China has always firmly opposed the United States or other countries -- that have established diplomatic relations with China -- arranging such transits, and has always opposed any form of official exchanges with Taiwan," he said.

Lai's attendance of Castro's inauguration comes after the president-elect said during her campaign that she would "immediately open diplomatic and commercial relations with mainland China" if she won.

Taiwan's foreign ministry has said Lai is scheduled to hold a meeting with Castro "to exchange views on issues of mutual concern" during the six-day visit.

Latin America has been a key diplomatic battleground for China and Taiwan since the two split in 1949 after a civil war.

Beijing has spent decades successfully encouraging Taiwan's diplomatic allies to switch sides.

Honduras remains among just 14 countries that still recognise Taiwan.

I.Saadi--SF-PST