In response to Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, China is severing cooperation in multiple areas with the US and tensions are spiraling, after what China calls a “provocative” and “vicious” trip to the island that China claims is part of its territory.
The Chinese government sanctioned Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her family.
It halted talks on climate change, repatriation of illegal immigrants and other issues, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a briefing Friday.
Phone calls and meetings between Chinese and US defense leaders have been canceled, as well as the cancellation of annual China-US military naval meetings.
Chinese warships and jets were seen in Taiwan’s waters and over its territory on Friday morning, as the Taiwanese government condemned China for what it called “war games” surrounding Taiwan.
“As of 11am, multiple batches of Chinese warplanes and warships conducted exercises around the Taiwan Strait and crossed the median line of the strait,” Taipei’s defense ministry said in a statement.
On Thursday, China fired ballistic missiles over the island in military drills, causing Secretary of State Antony Blinken to warn about a “serious escalation.”
Five of the missiles landed in Japanese waters.
“Despite China’s serious concerns and firm opposition, Pelosi insisted on visiting Taiwan, seriously interfering in China’s internal affairs, undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, trampling on the one-China policy, and threatening the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement.
The Biden administration supports Pelosi’s visit and says China is “saber rattling” with “unnecessary” military drills.
Chinese state media say the “war games” are a rehearsal for an invasion.
Beijing began the military drills late Tuesday as Pelosi visited the island and says they will continue until Sunday.
Pelosi defended her visit Friday, saying Washington would ‘not allow’ China to isolate Taiwan, in a press conference in Tokyo.
Taiwan’s premier Su Tseng-chang, told reporters, “(We) didn’t expect that the evil neighbor next door would show off its power at our door and arbitrarily jeopardize the busiest waterways in the world with its military exercises.”
A number of countries, including some from the G7, have criticized China’s drills, urging China to de-escalate, to avoid economic and social instability in the region.