Associated Press

Beijing, May 27:

China today protested Washington’s decision to let Taiwan’s vice president make brief US stops on the way to and from Latin America, saying the visits will hurt ties between Beijing and Washington.

US permission for Vice President Annette Lu’s visit “is sending the wrong signal to Taiwan authorities and has brought about a negative impact on Sino-US relations,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said.

Lu is scheduled to stop in Las Vegas tomrrow and Saturday on the way to visit Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in Latin America. On her return a week later, she plans a three-day stop in San Francisco.

Lu thanked the United States for agreeing to let her stop there.