China has warned that it will respond with "strong measures" if US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi finally travels to Taiwan this weekend. At this stage, the alleged visit has not been confirmed by either Pelosi's office or the Taipei government. However, Japanese and Taiwanese media have reported that Pelosi will be travelling to the island after her visit to Japan.
Beijing has reacted to these reports by threatening "strong measures". "If the US insists on getting its way, China will take strong measures in response to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. All possible consequences arising from this will be fully borne by the US side," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, according to Reuters.
The news agency also reports that Lijian remarked to reporters that Beijing strongly opposes all forms of official interaction between the US and Taiwan, which is why the spokesman believes Washington should cancel the trip. "This is playing with fire. Those who play with fire are destined to get burned," the agency wrote on its Twitter account.
As Taiwan authorities collude with the #US, some even deliberately draw an analogy between Taiwan and #Ukraine despite their completely different nature. This is playing with fire. Those who play with fire are bound to get burned. pic.twitter.com/J4VB7zliyR
— Spokesperson发言人办公室 (@MFA_China) April 7, 2022
China's chief diplomat Wang Yi has also commented on the matter, comparing Pelosi's alleged trip to the situation in Ukraine. "On the issue of Ukraine, the United States urges respect for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of any country, but on the issue of Taiwan, it explicitly tramples on the red line of one China," he said, according to the Chinese news agency Xinhua. The minister also denounced Washington's "blatant" double standards.
Following the line of his spokesman, Wang Yi reiterated that, should Pelosi "intentionally" visit Taiwan, it will be a "blatant provocation against China's sovereignty, a blatant interference in China's internal affairs and send a very dangerous political signal to the outside world". "The international situation is becoming increasingly turbulent," the minister said.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also increased tensions between Washington and Beijing. The Asian giant has not condemned the attacks by Moscow, an important ally of Xi Jinping's government. For this reason, the United States is wary of China's possible role in the conflict. Washington has warned on several occasions that military or economic aid from Beijing to Russia during the war would have consequences.
However, the discord between the US and China spills over into other areas. In this regard, Taiwan is one of the main sources of controversy between the two powers. Beijing considers the island to be part of its national territory, while Taipei receives strong military and political support from Washington.
Sunday, the day that several media outlets have pointed to as Pelosi's possible visit to the island, marks the 43rd anniversary of the US signing of the Taiwan Relations Act, which enshrines Washington's commitment to provide the Taiwanese government with the means to defend itself.
No head of the House of Representatives has travelled to Taiwan since 1997. In that year, Newt Gingrich met with then President Lee Teng-hui, as Reuters recalls. Pelosi, second in the line of US presidential succession after Vice President Kamala Harris, could make the next visit of this kind more than a decade later, thereby reinforcing US engagement with Taiwan.
The Democratic Party politician has been highly critical of China on several occasions, particularly on human rights issues. She also held a virtual meeting with Taiwan's Vice President William Lai earlier this year.
Americas Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra.