The Chinese government is doing more than raising their eyebrows over Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan today.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned US politicians today that if they ‘play with fire’ they will ‘come to no good end.’
Pelosi left Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia on Tuesday morning and landed in Taiwan on Tuesday morning, at which point she issued a statement (see her tweet below).
Video footage on the Chinese social network Weibo shows Chinese tanks lined up on the Taiwan Strait and Chinese military on the move.
The videos are unverified but tensions are confirmed.
There’s unconfirmed chatter that she is expected to meet President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan on Wednesday. The State Department has not confirmed her itinerary.
Reuters reports Chinese warplanes flying over the dividing line in the Taiwan Strait. Several Chinese warships are also showing their presence in the waterway, with tactical moves that are considered provocative.
Four US warships and an aircraft carrier are positioned in waters near Taiwan in routine deployments. The USS Ronald Reagan carrier is in the Philippines Sea, a US Navy official told Reuters. The USS Tripoli carrier is also in the area.
Moscow isn’t keeping quiet either. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the US is ‘destabilizing’ the world by allowing Pelosi to travel to Taiwan, and that the visit is ‘extremely provocative’.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry acknowledged the military activities near the country and said they would respond to what they called “enemy threats”.
Although the US government has no official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, US law says it must help the island defend itself against military attack.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Monday that it would be, ”a gross interference in China’s internal affairs” if Pelosi visits Taiwan. They warned that it could result in “very serious developments and consequences.”
In the latest developments as of Tuesday morning, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the Chinese government is in communication with Biden administration officials.
Will there be a confrontation?
