Taiwan’s Vice President William Lai defiantly declared Taiwan will not back down to Chinese threats as he visited the U.S., in what has been billed as a transit stop on his way to Paraguay’s presidential inauguration this week. China vowed to take “forceful and resolute measures” in response to his stop in the U.S., which Beijing considers a challenge to its sovereignty over the territory. Lai, who is a front-runner in Taiwan’s January presidential election, spoke during a lunch with supporters in New York City Sunday.

Vice President William Lai Ching-te: “Peace and security in the Taiwan Strait is not only Taiwan’s problem, but rather an international issue that concerns all the countries of the world. When Taiwan is safe, the world is safe. When there is peace in the Taiwan Strait, there will be peace in the world.”