Protestors participate in a rally to against the island's deputy leader Lai Ching-te's planned visit to the United States on Aug 11, 2023, in Taipei. (PHOTO / PROVIDED TO CHINADAILY)

More than 600 Taiwan residents gathered around Taiwan's leader's office in Taipei on Friday, to protest the island's deputy leader Lai Ching-te's planned visit to the United States this weekend.

They shouted slogans accusing Lai, also Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party's 2024 leadership candidate, of relying on the US to seek "independence" and causing harm to Taiwan.

Lai, who has openly branded himself as a pragmatic advocate for "Taiwan independence", will reportedly stop in the US on his way to and from Paraguay as part of a seven-day trip starting on Saturday

Lai, who has openly branded himself as a pragmatic advocate for "Taiwan independence", will reportedly stop in the US on his way to and from Paraguay as part of a seven-day trip starting on Saturday.

Wu Jung-yuan, Chairman of Taiwan's pro-reunification Labor Party, said: "Taiwan is part of China, and cross-Strait affairs are internal matters for the Chinese people. Why should the US intervene?"

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Lai's visit to the US is an attempt to collude with Washington to meddle in cross-Strait affairs, which should be opposed by Taiwanese people, he said, adding that "Advocating against outside intervention is the best way to show our love for Taiwan."

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Ji Xin, publisher of The Observer magazine, said Lai disregarded Taiwan people's desire for peace and dialogue with the Chinese mainland, and people will use their votes to remove the DPP from power.