It is a firm warning sent Wednesday July 27: China declared that the United States will have to “bear all the consequences” of a potential visit by the leader of the American congressmen Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, amid strong Sino-American tensions. These remarks come before a possible phone call in the coming days between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart Joe Biden.
China considers the island, with a population of 24 million, to be one of its historic provinces that it has yet to reunite with the rest of the country. Opposed to any initiative that would give the Taiwanese authorities international legitimacy, Beijing is against any official contact between Taiwan and other states.
At the same time, tensions between China and the United States have increased in recent years with several sales of American arms to Taiwan and the visit to the island of American politicians who have come to offer their support to the Taiwanese authorities.
Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives and as such one of the most senior figures in the American state, is still planning to visit Taiwan next month, according to press reports. Member of the Democratic Party like Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi did not say if she would take the trip well, but she said she thought it was “important (…) to show support for Taiwan”.
China had warned on Monday that it “keep ready” to respond to such a visit. Beijing reiterated Wednesday during a regular press briefing its “firm opposition”. “If the United States persists in challenging China’s red line” with this visit to Taiwan, they “will face strong measures in response and must bear all the consequences”warned a spokesman for Chinese diplomacy, Zhao Lijian.
Taiwan (officially the “Republic of China”) has its own government, currency and military. But economic and interpersonal relations with mainland China remain strong, and the island has never officially declared its independence. The communist government based in Beijing (the “People’s Republic of China”) threatens to use force if this were the case.
Asked Wednesday about the possible visit of Nancy Pelosi, Taiwanese Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang limited himself to saying that he was open to any visit. “of friendly foreign guests”. “We are very grateful to President Pelosi for her support and friendship with Taiwan over the years.”
Taiwan enjoys broad support in the US Congress and warnings from Beijing have only prompted calls for Nancy Pelosi to go ahead with her trip. The United States, like the vast majority of countries in the world, does not recognize Taiwan as a country. But Washington strongly supports the island, highlighting its “democratic” status, and remains Taipei’s most important partner and arms supplier.