China warns of ‘forceful measures’ if US House Speaker Pelosi visits Taiwan

China’s authorities warned on Tuesday that it might take “forceful measures” if US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, after the Financial Times stated she would go to the Chinese-claimed island subsequent month.

Pelosi and her delegation can even go to Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore, and spend time in Hawaii on the headquarters of US Indo-Pacific command, the London newspaper added, citing folks acquainted with the matter.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry stated it has “not received relevant information” about any go to.

Asked in regards to the report, Drew Hammill, Pelosi’s deputy chief of workers, stated, “We do not confirm or deny international travel in advance due to longstanding security protocols.”

The Democratic chief’s go to to Taiwan had been postponed from April, after she examined optimistic for COVID-19. At the time, China stated such a go to would severely have an effect on Chinese-US relations.

Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian stated any go to by Pelosi would “seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

“If the US side obstinately clings to this course, China will definitely take resolute and forceful measures to firmly defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he stated. “The United States must be fully responsible for all the consequences caused by this.”

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US State Department spokesperson Ned Price, requested about China’s response, stated: “I believe the foreign ministry was weighing in on a hypothetical. That is something that I will hesitate doing here”.

Taiwan faces mounting strain from China, which considers the democratically ruled island its personal territory. The subject is a continuing irritant in ties between Beijing and Washington.

Taiwan, nevertheless, has been heartened by continued help provided by US President Joe Biden’s administration, which has repeatedly spoken of its “rock-solid” dedication to the island.

Pelosi, a long-time critic of China, held a web-based assembly with Taiwanese Vice President William Lai in January as he wrapped up a go to to the United States and Honduras.

The White House had expressed concern in regards to the Pelosi journey, the Financial Times stated, citing three folks acquainted with the scenario.

There have been divisions within the Democratic US administration over whether or not Pelosi ought to go to Taiwan, the FT quoted two sources as saying.

Some officers believed it had been simpler to justify a go to in April, as that was simply after the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it added.

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A spokesperson for the US National Security Council wouldn’t touch upon “travel that the Speaker’s office itself has not announced,” and reiterated that the United States stays dedicated to its One China coverage.

Separately, the US Navy’s seventh Fleet stated the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Benfold carried out a routine Taiwan Strait transit on Tuesday, “through international waters in accordance with international law.”

“The ship transited through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state,” it stated in a press release.

The United States has been finishing up such voyages by the stretch of water separating Taiwan and China about as soon as a month. This has angered Beijing, which views them as an indication of help for the island.

This month, China despatched fighters throughout the Taiwan Strait’s median line, an motionTaiwan described as a provocation. The incident got here throughout a go to to Taipei by Senator Rick Scott, a Republican member of the US Senate Armed Services Committee.

On Monday, China requested the United States to instantly cancel a possible sale of navy technical help to Taiwan price an estimated $108 million.

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