-Imposes sanctions on Nancy Pelosi over visit to Taiwan region
BEIJING: China on Friday said it was cancelling several defence meetings and suspending key climate talks with the United States after a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan this week.
Beijing will “suspend the China-US climate change talks” and nix plans for a call between military leaders as well as two security meetings, the foreign ministry said, citing Pelosi’s “disregard of China’s strong opposition and stern representations” on the Taiwan visit.
China and the United States — the world’s two largest carbon emitters — unveiled a surprise climate pact at the COP26 summit in Glasgow last year.
They pledged to work together to accelerate climate action this decade, and vowed to meet regularly to “address the climate crisis”.
China views self-ruled, democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day take it, by force if necessary.
Beijing reacted with bombastic threats and military drills in the lead-up to and aftermath of Pelosi’s visit, which it sees as an unacceptable escalation of ties between Washington and Taiwan’s current pro-independence leaders.
The foreign ministry said on Friday it was suspending cooperation with Washington on repatriating illegal migrants, judicial assistance and transnational crime, as well as anti-drug action.
It said earlier that it would impose unspecified sanctions on Pelosi and her family.
In response to the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi’s egregious provocation, China has decided to adopt sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family members in accordance with relevant laws of the People’s Republic of China, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced Friday.
In disregard of China’s grave concerns and firm opposition, Pelosi insisted on visiting Taiwan, which constitutes a gross interference in China’s internal affairs, said the spokesperson.
“It gravely undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, seriously tramples on the one-China principle, and severely threatens peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the spokesperson added. –Agencies
