BEIJING, Aug 3: China on Wednesday said it will take “strong and effective” countermeasures against the US and Taiwan for violating the “One-China policy”, as the US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi successfully completed her visit to Taipei disregarding Beijing’s vociferous threats.
“We will do what we have said. Please have some patience,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chunying told a media briefing here while responding to questions on what more actions China could take in addition to lodging diplomatic protests with the US, conducting live fire drills around the Taiwan island and banning some food imports from Taipei.
China views Taiwan as a breakaway province which will one day unite with it. Beijing has not ruled out the possible use of force to reunify the self-ruled island with the mainland.
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“We will do what we say. These measures will be strong, effective and resolute,” Hua, who is also the Assistant Chinese Foreign Minister, said to question whether China plans to impose sanctions against Pelosi as well as Taiwan leaders like President Tsai Ing-wen.
Pelosi’s successful visit to Taiwan, which China claims as part of its mainland, has left questions about the efficacy of Beijing’s high-voltage rhetoric ahead of her visit as it added more pressure to act after she left the island.
Pelosi arrived on Tuesday night by a US Air Force jet to Taipei amid intense speculation about adverse actions by Beijing. The visit of Pelosi, who is the third highest official, is the first by a top US leader to Taiwan in 25 years.
The 82-year-old top Democratic Party leader left Taipei on Wednesday amid the glare of international publicity and leaving a trail of anger and bitterness in China.
Observers say her successful visit to Taiwan has put pressure on Beijing as it dented the strong man image of President Xi Jinping, who in the next few months was expected to be endorsed for an unprecedented third term to continue in power for another five years or perhaps for life by the once-in-a-five-year Congress of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).
Hua defended the live firing drills by the Chinese military around Taiwan as well as the deployment of fighter jets in the Taiwan Straits during Pelosi’s visit, saying China was compelled to act in self-defence after her visit which has violated China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The root cause of the tensions is that the Taiwan authorities have been using the strength of the US to seek Taiwan’s independence, Hua said.
About criticism by some that China has failed to prevent Pelosi from visiting Taiwan, Hua said the US politicians are putting up a “political stunt” for their personal gains.
As for the specific countermeasures China will be taking, the Chinese side is deeply committed to upholding its sovereignty, territorial integrity and security interests, Hua said.
“We are determined to do that, there should be no questions about that. Our countermeasures will be strong, effective and resolute,” she said. (PTI)
