Mon 01 August 2022:
If US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits Taiwan, China’s military will “not sit idly by.”
The latest warning was issued during a regular briefing by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian also stated that a visit to Taiwan, which China claims as its own, would have “egregious political impact” due to Pelosi’s status as the “No. 3 official of the US government.”
Pelosi was set to begin a four-country Asian tour in Singapore on Monday, amid intense speculation that she would risk Beijing’s wrath by also visiting self-ruled Taiwan.
“The Chinese side is comprehensively prepared for all eventualities,” Zhao Lijian said of speculation that Pelosi might visit Taiwan this week as part of her Asia trip.
“The People’s Liberation Army will not stand idly by, and the Chinese side will certainly take strong and decisive measures to protect our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
The Chinese government rejects formal contacts between its diplomatic allies and the Taipei government because it considers Taiwan to be a part of the People’s Republic. Taiwan, a country of 23 million, has long regarded itself as independent.
Fears that China might forcibly annex the democratic island republic have grown since Russia invaded Ukraine. Tensions over Taiwan have not been as high since the 1990s.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:
TWITTER (CLICK HERE)
https://twitter.com/IpIndependent
FACEBOOK (CLICK HERE)
https://web.facebook.com/ipindependent
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
