China has again warned the United States of the consequences of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. A foreign ministry spokesman told the Chinese press on Monday that Beijing would regard this as a “blatant interference” in its internal affairs.
Pelosi will visit US allies in the Indo-Pacific region this week, possibly including Taiwan. China considers the self-governing island a rebellious Chinese province and would regard such a move as a provocation.
The Chinese government has beefed up its military presence on and around the island in recent months, and has also increased economic pressure. The Russian invasion of Ukraine early this year fueled rumors of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
Surprise visit
It is not certain whether Pelosi is actually visiting Taiwan. Officially, the island is not on the travel schedule, but there are rumors that a surprise visit is coming. Chinese President Xi Jinping has previously warned his US counterpart, Joe Biden, of the consequences of such a visit.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman warned the United States again on Monday. “China is well prepared for all possible scenarios,” Zhao Lijian told the Chinese press in the capital, Beijing. “The military will not stand idly by, and China will surely take strong and decisive measures to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” she added.
Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea
Pelosi will make her first stop in Singapore on Monday. There are talks with the government about starting an American Chamber of Commerce in the city-state. After that, the Democrat will also visit Malaysia, Japan and South Korea.
When the 82-year-old Pelosi visited Taiwan, she was the highest-ranking American politician on the island in decades. The Speaker of the US House of Representatives is the third-largest president in the United States, after President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
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