Taiwan has said that any military action by China in response to its Vice President William Lai's stopover in the United States would be an attempt by Beijing to interfere in the island nation's elections. The remarks were made by Lai himself during his Paraguay trip. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has repeatedly expressed its dislike for any visit to the United States by Taiwanese leaders.
 
According to reports, Taiwan officials said that China could launch military drills this week citing Lai's US stopovers as an excuse to intimidate voters ahead of an election next year to make Taiwanese people fear an imminent war.