China Threatens Consequences for Nancy Pelosi Visit to Taiwan

China threatens consequences for the United States if Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi follows through with plans to visit Taiwan. 

The Guardian reports

Reported plans for the US House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, to visit Taiwan could spark one of the most perilous moments in cross-strait relations for decades, analysts have warned.

Pelosi’s visit has not been confirmed but there is speculation it could occur in the coming weeks. She would be the highest-ranked US official to visit since Newt Gingrich in 1997.

China has warned that a visit by Pelosi would have “consequences”.

“I think the Chinese have to do more than they did in 1997 – Xi Jinping can’t be seen as weak on this,” said Bonnie S Glaser, director of the Asia programme at the German Marshall Fund thinktank. “It’s a very dangerous moment. I think few people actually realise how dangerous this is.”

The Chinese government and military strongly object to all foreign visits or expressions of support for Taiwan, and the heightened reaction to a visit by Pelosi – a longtime critic of the Chinese government – has sparked serious concern.

China’s Communist party (CCP) government claims that democratically self-ruled Taiwan is a breakaway province which must be “reunited” with the mainland, ideally peacefully but by force if necessary.