China is furious over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s diplomatic visit to Taiwan last week, according to reports.
This comes after Pelosi visited Taiwan and offered assurances of support for the island nation’s democracy, which roused the ire of China and prompted the communist country to schedule live-fire military drills during her visit.
“Today the world faces a choice between democracy and autocracy,” she said during a meeting with Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen. “America’s determination to preserve democracy here in Taiwan and around the world remains ironclad.”
After leaving Taiwan, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced sanctions against Pelosi and her family on Wednesday, calling her visit to the country an “egregious provocation” and a “gross interference” into their internal affairs.
“In disregard of China’s grave concerns and firm opposition, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi insisted on visiting China’s Taiwan region. This constitutes a gross interference in China’s internal affairs,” the spokesperson said. “It gravely undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, seriously tramples on the one-China principle, and severely threatens peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
They also said that more punishments for both the U.S. and Taiwan would follow as a consequence of the House Speaker’s visit.
“As for the specific countermeasures, what I can tell you is that they’ll include everything that should be included,” the spokesperson added. “The measures in question will be firm, vigorous and effective, and the U.S. side and Taiwan independence forces will continue feeling them.”
China has amplified warnings to the U.S., with the former threatening the use of military response leading to Pelosi’s visit.
“Those who play with fire will perish by it. It is hoped that the U.S. will be clear-eyed about this,” Chinese President Xi Jinping told President Joe Biden during a phone call earlier this month.
While China has long insisted that Taiwan is a part of its territory, the U.S. has maintained a policy of strategic ambiguity — acknowledging Beijing’s claim but never endorsing it.
The Chinese Communist Party has increased its military presence in the South China Sea over the years, where it has been constructing dozens of warships. Many fear that China’s dominance might allow it to coerce U.S. allies, endanger global maritime trade, and prevent American troops from entering the region.
