The government of China has condemned in strong terms the visit of the American House of Representatives Speaker, Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, saying that there will be consequences.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China has released a statement describing Taiwan as China’s region and warning America to stay off.
China called it a serious violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiqués.
“It has a severe impact on the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and seriously infringes upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
China said the visit undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and sends a wrong signal to the separatist forces for “Taiwan independence”.
The statement referred to the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 1971, reminding the U.S. that in 1979, the U.S. made a clear commitment in the China-U.S. Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations.
China recalled it was all along opposed to the visit to Taiwan by U.S. congressional members, and that the executive branch “has the responsibility to stop such visit”.
“Since Speaker Pelosi is the incumbent leader of the U.S. Congress, her visit to and activities in Taiwan, in whatever form and for whatever reason, is a major political provocation to upgrade U.S. official exchanges with Taiwan.
“No country, no forces, and no individual should ever misestimate the firm resolve, strong will, and great capability of the Chinese Government and people to defend state sovereignty and territorial integrity and to achieve national reunification and rejuvenation.”
China vowed to take all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity “in response to the U.S. Speaker’s visit”.
The Chinese government said the consequences of the trip must be borne by the U.S. side and the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.
The statement warned America to stop meddling in Taiwan, China’s internal affairs, and stop conniving with “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.
Earlier in the year, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said a war triggered by China will end in a global disaster.
Meanwhile, Ms. Pelosi, the most senior US politician in 25 years to visit Taiwan, said her delegation had come to make it “unequivocally clear” that the US would not “abandon” the island.
Taiwan is self-ruled, but China sees it as a breakaway province that will eventually unite with it.
“Forty-three years ago, America made a promise to always stand with Taiwan… today our delegation came to Taiwan to make it unequivocally clear we will not abandon our commitment to Taiwan,” Ms. Pelosi said, referring to the Taiwan Relations Act.
Within an hour of Ms. Pelosi’s arrival, China announced that the People’s Liberation Army will conduct a series of live-fire military drills in the air and at sea around Taiwan later this week – warning ships and aircraft not to enter the affected areas.
This follows days of escalating tensions in which Chinese warplanes had already ventured out as far as the median line, the unofficial divide separating China and Taiwan in the waters between them.
