China Warns of Military Response to Pelosi’s Taiwan Trip

By Staff, Agencies

China raised the stakes in its row with Washington over US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s planned trip to Taiwan, saying it may respond militarily if the California Democrat goes through with the visit.

The latest warnings were privately issued to members of US President Joe Biden’s administration, the Financial Times reported on Sunday, citing six unidentified people familiar with the matter.

The statement was significantly stronger than the warnings that Chinese officials have given in the past over controversial US actions or policy decisions related to Taiwan.

Pelosi is reportedly scheduled to visit Taipei next month, in what would be the first trip by a House speaker to the breakaway republic since 1997. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said last Tuesday that Pelosi’s trip would have a “grave impact” on US-China ties. “If the US were to insist on going down the wrong path, China will take resolute and strong measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. All the ensuing consequences shall be borne by the US side.”

Chinese officials also have argued that a visit to Taipei by such a high-level representative – as House speaker, Pelosi would be next in line to the Oval Office if neither the president nor vice president were able to serve – would violate the US “One China” policy, under which Washington acknowledges Beijing’s claim to sovereignty over Taiwan. On Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin reiterated Beijing’s vow to take “strong countermeasures,” adding, “We mean what we say.”

The Pentagon apparently sees Pelosi’s planned trip as problematic. Pressed on the issue by reporters last Wednesday, Biden replied, “I think that the military thinks it’s not a good idea right now, but I don’t know what the status of it is.”

Pelosi told reporters on Thursday that Biden hadn’t raised any concern directly with her. “I think what the president was saying is, maybe the military was afraid our plane would get shot down or something like that by the Chinese,” she said.

US-Chinese tensions over Taiwan have escalated in recent months. The Financial Times reported earlier this month that Pelosi intended to visit Taiwan in a show of support amid mounting reunification pressure from the mainland.