US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to visit Taiwan? China’s stern warning ‘will not stand idly by’ – BBC News

Taiwan’s foreign ministry said it had not received information about the visit.

The British “Financial Times” also quoted six people familiar with the matter as saying that Beijing’s warning this time was much stronger than previous warnings when China was not satisfied with the actions of the United States or its policy towards Taiwan.

The report quoted one person as saying that China in particular has expressed stronger opposition to the United States than ever before. China’s own letter goes further, indicating a possible military response, several people familiar with the matter said.

Beijing has not indicated how its likely response would be, but the People’s Liberation Army may try to prevent Pelosi’s plane from landing in Taiwan, or take other measures to prevent her from visiting Taiwan, such as sending fighter jets to intercept a US military plane carrying it. , said the report.

According to an analysis by Bloomberg in the US, China may respond in the following ways: a large-scale invasion of fighter planes, allowing fighter planes to fly over the center line of the Taiwan Strait, missile exercises near Taiwan, and military aircraft. Flying over Taiwan.

Taiwan enjoys strong bipartisan support in the American public and in the US Congress.

During her 25-year career in Congress, Pelosi has been an outspoken critic of China. She denounced China’s human rights record, met with Chinese pro-democracy dissidents, and visited Tiananmen Square to commemorate the victims of China’s “Tiananmen Incident” in 1989.

Pelosi was due to visit Taiwan in April, but her visit was suspended after she tested positive for the coronavirus.

She declined to discuss the details of the trip, but said last week that “showing support for Taiwan is important to us.”

After the media broke the news of Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, Chinese officials made strong responses several times.

China is asking the United States to take concrete measures to fulfill its commitment not to support “Taiwan independence” and not to arrange Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, said Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei on Tuesday (July 26). “If the United States goes its own way, the Chinese military will not stand idly by and take strong measures to thwart any outside interference and separatist schemes for ‘Taiwan independence’, and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“As the ‘Number Three’ in the US government, if House Speaker Pelosi visits Taiwan, she will seriously violate the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiques, seriously endanger China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and seriously undermine the political foundation,” said Tan Kefe. The Sino-US relations will inevitably inflict very serious damage to the relationship between the two countries and the two militaries and will further escalate the tension in the Taiwan Strait.”

On Monday (25th), Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said: “We are ready to fight. If the United States insists on its own path, China will take strict and strong measures to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the United States. Countries must bear all the consequences dire.”

Regarding domestic public opinion in China, Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of state media Global Times, suggested that once Pelosi visits Taiwan, PLA fighter jets can choose to “fly with” Pelosi’s private jet at the appropriate time. Distance, enter the island of Taiwan at the same time, pass by, land over the airport and then cross the island of Taiwan back to the mainland.

“Once the PLA fighter jets fly to and cross the island of Taiwan, it will be more of a historical precedent than Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. In that case, perhaps we should thank Pelosi for allowing the PLA fighter planes to fly over the island of Taiwan., opened A new space for the People’s Liberation Army combat aircraft to exercise sovereignty over the island of Taiwan.”

“The military doesn’t think it’s a good idea right now, but I don’t know what the status quo,” US President Joe Biden said last week when asked about Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.

Biden also said Monday that he is looking forward to a phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week.

In addition, many politicians in the United States support Pelosi’s visit, saying that China cannot interfere in the actions of the speaker of the US House of Representatives.

Former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich led a delegation to visit Taiwan in 1997. He said on Twitter that of course Pelosi should lead a bipartisan Congressional delegation to Taiwan, saying, “Communism that rules China cannot dictate the speaker’s travel!”

Former US Secretary of State Pompeo told Pelosi on Twitter that he was willing to go to Taiwan with Pelosi, “You’re banned from China, but not in freedom-loving Taiwan, see you then!”

US Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick also called on Pelosi on Twitter, hoping she wouldn’t shrink from the Chinese Communist Party’s bullying. “If you cancel your flight, it will show more weakness on the international stage, it will be in the hands of China, and the United States must brave the Chinese Communist Party.”

By Robert Wingfield Hayes, the BBC’s Taipei correspondent

If you are a small island nation with few allies, not recognized by the United Nations, and threatened with invasion by a larger and more powerful neighbour, then visiting American Statesman Number 3 should be something you would welcome. Is that correct?

This is why the Taiwanese government does not want US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to stray from Taiwan.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has long advocated high-level interactions with the United States. But there are also concerns about why Pelosi is here now and whether her trip is doing more harm than good.

US President Joe Biden said three times last year that the United States would intervene in support of Taiwan if China invaded, but his aides have retracted his comments, insisting that US policy remains unchanged.

When news of Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan was leaked, President Biden’s response was not supportive, but by saying, “The Department of Defense doesn’t think it’s a good idea.”

In Beijing, this seems like a weak point. In Taipei, it looks chaotic. What is the US government’s policy towards Taiwan?

Pelosi, 82, is expected to retire in the fall. Are you offering real support with a clear intent, or is this a political offering? Everything is not clear.