Mike Pompeo Photo: AFP

Netizens from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan mocked former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo for expressing wishes to visit the island, saying the sanctioned politician is a "has-been" and a "dead mouse" seeking profits from Taiwan. 

Pompeo made the remarks in an interview with Taiwan's CNA news agency on Wednesday. "It would be wonderful to get the chance to travel there (Taiwan) someday. I would truly enjoy that. It would be a real treat," he said. 

Joanne Ou, a spokesperson of the Taiwan authority in charge of foreign affairs, said Taiwan authorities sincerely welcome Pompeo to visit the island, but the two sides have not discussed any specific plans yet.

Despite the courting of Taiwan authorities and media toward the former US politician, who has been notorious for provoking the Chinese government by staying close to the secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), some Taiwan netizens saw through the political intentions of Pompeo in his wishful visit to the island.  

"A dead mouse doesn't feel the cold… It seems that he is seeking the DPP's support for the 2024 election," commented one Taiwan netizen on Facebook.

"Look! The crazy has-been politician is coming to rake in money from Taiwan again," commented another netizen.

Some advised to serve Pompeo additive-fed pork when he comes, ridiculing the Taiwan authorities for easing restrictions on the imports of ractopamine-enhanced pork from the US in August 2020 to boost ties with Washington, which has caused a great wave of dissent from more than 70 percent of the island's residents. 

Pompeo's remarks were also mocked by social media users in the Chinese mainland. 

"Welcome Pompeo as an ordinary US citizen to visit our treasure island of Taiwan," a Sina Weibo user teased.  

Before stepping down, Pompeo announced on January 9 the lifting of all "self-imposed restrictions" to regulate American "diplomats, service members, and other officials' interactions" with their counterparts on Taiwan, which was hyped as big progress in their so-called "bilateral relations" by some media. 

However, right after Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th US president on January 20, China's Foreign Ministry announced sanctions on 28 anti-China politicians in the Trump administration, including Pompeo.

Pompeo and other individuals as well as their immediate family members are prohibited from entering the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, according to the Foreign Ministry. They and companies and institutions associated with them are also restricted from doing business with China. 

Pompeo, with his credibility hitting rock bottom, already became a byword for lying, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin at a regular press conference in February. 

"After leaving office, Pompeo and his like are still seeking to get selfish gains and hijack China-US relations by taking an anti-China stance. Their attempts are doomed to fail," Wang said.