Days after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, China suspended cooperation with the United States in a variety of areas, including high-level military dialogues and climate negotiations on Friday. Announcing the new ‘countermeasures’, the Chinese Foreign Minister stated that Nancy Pelosi had disregarded the country’s concern and insisted on visiting Taiwan.
According to the reports, China’s foreign ministry said that it was halting its collaboration with the United States on the prevention of transnational crime and drug trafficking as well as on returning illegal immigrants along with eight other particular steps. China also called off a scheduled bilateral discussion on a maritime military security mechanism through a statement that was issued just after Pelosi left Japan on the last leg of her Asian visit.
Sanctions were also announced by China against Nancy Pelosi and her immediate family members. The PRC also called her actions ‘vicious and provocative’. Reports mention that this is after the White House officially summoned Chinese Ambassador Qin Gang to criticize intensifying activities against Taiwan and to underscore that the US does not seek a regional conflict.
The Chinese foreign ministry also called Pelosi’s visit a stunt for personal ambitions. ‘A robe with lice crawling all over it’, they termed the ‘democracy’ that Pelosi offers.
Furthermore, the Chinese Ministry August 5 stated that Pelosi’s visit significantly interfered with Chinese domestic affairs, undermined China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, violated the one-China principle, and endangered peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
The tour by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi later this week was the first by a US House Speaker to self-ruled Taiwan in 25 years after Newt Gingrich visited in April 1997. Her visit also marked her first travel to Taiwan in 22 years. Following the visit, China conducted massive military exercises and fired numerous ballistic missiles toward the northeast and southwest waters of Taiwan heightening regional tensions with Taiwan and Japan.