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| Photo Credit: AP. |
China has warned the United States of “consequences” if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi goes ahead with an alleged plan to visit Taiwan, an Island claimed by Beijing under its one China policy.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian cautioned Pelosi on Tuesday against going ahead with possible plans to visit Taiwan following a report from the Financial Times which claimed the California Democrat was planning to visit the island in August, Newsweek reports. In 1997 former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich visited the disputed Island.
China oppose Pelosi's visit to Taiwan
"We firmly oppose any form of official interaction between the U.S. and the Taiwan region," Zhao said during his daily press briefing on Tuesday, according to Newsweek. "If Speaker Pelosi visits Taiwan, it would seriously violate the one China principle and the stipulations in the three China-U.S. joint communiqués and harm China's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
"The U.S. must not arrange for Speaker Pelosi to visit the Taiwan region and must stop official interactions with Taiwan," he added. "Should the U.S. side insist on doing otherwise, China will take strong and resolute measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The U.S. must assume full responsibility for any ensuing consequences."
China promises strong measures if Nancy Pelosi visits Taiwan
In April, Zhao warned Pelosi against visiting Taiwan, saying that a trip to the region would force China to "take strong measures in response to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Newsweek quoted a report by Reuters.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou told Newsweek on Tuesday that the Taipei government had not received information about Pelosi’s purported plan to visit. Pelosi has not officially confirmed the visit.
The Chinese government has often responded in fury over potential visits to the Island country often threatening retaliations and other measures.