China’s foreign ministry on Sunday condemned the transit of Taiwan’s vice president and presidential candidate William Lai through the United States, calling him a “troublemaker through and through. The ministry also said Taiwan was the “core of the core interests of China” and urged the US to abide by the one-China principle – adding it was “closely following” developments and “would take resolute and strong measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Lai is due to transit through San Francisco on August 16 on his return to Taipei, Taiwan’s vice foreign minister Alexander Yui said during a media briefing earlier this month