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Pelosi set to visit Taiwan, China says it won’t sit idly by
Pelosi, who began an Asia trip on Monday in Singapore, was due to spend Tuesday night in Taiwan, two people aware of the matter said.
US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi was set to visit Taiwan on Tuesday, leading China to warn that its military will “not sit idly by” if the Democratic leader visits the island that Beijing claims as its own.
Pelosi, who began an Asia trip on Monday in Singapore, was due to spend Tuesday night in Taiwan, two people aware of the matter said. One of the persons told Reuters that the United States had informed some allies about Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. The second person said Pelosi was scheduled to meet some activists who are outspoken on China rights issues during her stay in Taiwan.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry said it had no comment to make with regards to Pelosi’s travel plans.
However, China took a dim view of Pelosi -- the third in the US presidential line of succession after vice president Kamala Harris -- visiting Taiwan, warning Washington to abide by the one-China policy.
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The one-China policy is a diplomatic acknowledgement of China’s position that there is only one Chinese government, and the US’s recognition of the government in Beijing rather than the one in Taipei, which China sees as a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland one day.
Speaking at a regular ministry briefing on Monday, foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said China would like to warn the US that the “People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will never sit idly by” if the US diplomat visits Taiwan.
“China will definitely take resolute and strong countermeasures to defend its own sovereignty and territorial integrity. What the US should do is to abide by the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiques, fulfil President (Joe) Biden’s promise not to support ‘Taiwan independence’, and not allow it,” Zhao said.
He added because of Pelosi’s status as the “No. 3 official of the US government”, a visit to Taiwan would “lead to egregious political impact”.
“The one-China principle is the pinnacle of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. It is the US that is constantly distorting and hollowing out the one-China policy on the Taiwan issue and making irresponsible remarks,” Zhao said.
Separately, the PLA on Monday marked its 95th anniversary amid rising tensions over Taiwan, with announcements about advancements made in new weaponry including a hypersonic missile, an amphibious assault ship, an aerial tanker and large destroyers, state media reports said.
China has, for the first time, revealed a video featuring the launch of what resembled a DF-17 hypersonic missile, a report in the state-run Global Times said, adding that the “aircraft carrier killer” is “almost impossible to intercept”, and linking it to tension over Taiwan Strait.
Also read: Xi warns Biden against ‘playing with fire’ in Taiwan
The tabloid also reported late on Sunday that China’s next-generation aerial tanker, the YU-20, has joined combat readiness training, and that the aircraft is expected to boost other fighter aircraft’s long-range operational capabilities.
The report quoted PLA air force’s Senior Colonel Shen Jinke as vowing to “safeguard China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with warplane sorties around the island of Taiwan”.
Late last week, Chinese official media had quoted President Xi Jinping as telling Biden that the US should abide by the “one-China principle” and warned him against “playing with fire” over Taiwan.
Speaking to Biden over phone, Xi told him that China firmly opposed Taiwanese independence and interference of external forces.
(With inputs from Agencies)
