Beijing: China today said it is “closely following” the itinerary of the United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She is on a visit to Southeast Asia and East Asia, but Taiwan is not mentioned in her schedule.
The House speaker arrived in Singapore today and reports citing White House sources suggested that she may likely visit Taiwan tomorrow.
Accusing Washington of “distorting and hollowing out the one-China policy, making irresponsible remarks and creating factors of tension on the Taiwan question”, Beijing warned that if Pelosi visits Taiwan, the Chinese side will respond resolutely and take strong countermeasures to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity. As for what those measures will be, let’s see what happens if she actually goes.
“We want to once again make it clear to the US side that the Chinese side is fully prepared for any eventuality and that the People’s Liberation Army of China will never sit idly by, and we will make a resolute response and take strong countermeasures to uphold China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian warned today. ” We will take firm and strong measures to safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he asserted and further stressed that the one-China principle is what underpins peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
“The Chinese side has repeatedly made clear to the US side our serious concern over Speaker Pelosi’s potential visit to Taiwan and our firm opposition to the visit. We have been stressing that such a visit would lead to serious consequences,” Lijian told reporters here.
China claimed that a visit to Taiwan by Pelosi, who is the third highest-ranking official in the US government, would constitute a “gross interference” in China’s internal affairs, “seriously undermine” China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, “wantonly trample” on the one-China principle, “greatly threaten” peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, “severely undermine” China-US relations and lead to a “very serious situation and grave consequences”.
Lijian said what the US should do is it should abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three Sino-US joint communiqués, fulfil President Joe Biden’s commitment of not supporting “Taiwan independence” and not arrange for a visit by Speaker Pelosi to Taiwan.
He reiterated it would be highly sensitive for Pelosi to visit Taiwan “no matter what”, and said that whatever the timing or way she chooses to go to Taiwan, it will seriously violate the one-China principle and the provisions of the three Sino-US joint communiqués and seriously undermine China-US relations. “It will undoubtedly create an egregious political impact,” he said.
It may be mentioned that the Chinese side has repeatedly made clear its “serious” concern over Speaker Pelosi’s potential visit to Taiwan and its “firm” opposition to the visit. Earlier on July 25, 2022, it had warned that if the US side insisted on making the visit, China would take “firm and strong measures” to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. “The US must assume full responsibility for any serious consequence arising thereof,” it stated. Another Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, said that should the US side insist on making the visit, China will act strongly to resolutely respond to it and take countermeasures. “We mean what we say,” he warned.
Top photo: Nancy Pelosi with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong-2 in Singapore today|Twitter
– global bihari bureau
