China warned Wednesday that the United States will bear the responsibility for a potential visit to Taiwan by the leader of the American congressmen Nancy Pelosi and will have to bear “all the consequences”.
Beijing opposes any official contact between Taiwan and other countries, considering that this island territory of 24 million inhabitants is one of its historical provinces, even if it does not control it.
Nancy Pelosi, leader of the House of Representatives and as such one of the highest figures in the American state, refused to tell reporters last Thursday if she would make this trip, scheduled for August according to some media.
She would be the highest institutional American figure to visit Taiwan in decades.
Beijing expressed Wednesday its “firm opposition” to this possible move, which is not unanimous within the US government.
“If the United States persists” with a visit by Ms. Pelosi to Taiwan, they will have to “assume all the consequences”, spokesman for Chinese diplomacy, Zhao Lijian, told the press.
The United States, like the vast majority of countries in the world, does not officially recognize Taiwan.
But they strongly support the island whose “democratic” status they highlight and Washington is Taipei’s most important partner and arms supplier.
Seeing this as an attack on its sovereignty, China has increased pressure against Taipei in recent years, for example leading campaigns of incursions into the Taiwan air defense zone.
