BEIJING: China’s government has warned that it would take forceful measures if U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, after the Financial Times said she would go to the Chinese-claimed island next month.
Pelosi and her delegation will also visit Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore, and spend time in Hawaii at the headquarters of U.S. Indo-Pacific command, the London newspaper added, citing people familiar with the matter.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said it has “not received relevant information” about any visit.
“If the US insists on having its own way, China will definitely take strong countermeasures. We mean what we say,” Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, warning the U.S. of consequences if House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits Taiwan region. pic.twitter.com/imQn77agbY
— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) July 21, 2022
Asked about the report, Drew Hammill, Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff, said, “We do not confirm or deny international travel in advance due to longstanding security protocols.”
Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said any visit by Pelosi would “seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
“If the U.S. side obstinately clings to this course, China will definitely take resolute and forceful measures to firmly defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said. “The United States must be fully responsible for all the consequences caused by this.”
U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price, asked about China’s reaction, said: “I believe the foreign ministry was weighing in on a hypothetical. That is something that I will hesitate doing here.”
Taiwan faces mounting pressure from China, which considers the democratically governed island its own territory. The issue is a constant irritant in ties between Beijing and Washington.
