‘Those who play with fire will burn’: China condemns Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, announces military exercises

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army will conduct live-fire exercises near Taiwan from August 4-7.

And it will do so in response to the visit of the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosito Taiwan, where it landed on Tuesday.

Beijing She claims that the island is her own territory The visit of the parliamentary leader, the highest-ranking US official to Taiwan in 25 years, was seen as a serious insult.

Shortly after Pelosi’s landing in Taipei, Chinese media announced the military exercises with all civilian ships and aircraft banned from entering the surrounding areas.

“Those who play with fire will get burned,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said, describing the trip as “extremely dangerous.”

It later emerged that the Chinese Foreign Ministry had summoned the US ambassador to Beijing, Nicholas Burns, to protest the flight.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng said the nature of Pelosi’s visit was “cruel” and warned of serious consequences. He said that China will not stand idly by.

The Chinese military exercises will include “long-range live shooting”. In the Taiwan StraitAccording to the army.

“This action is directed at the recent appalling US escalation of the Taiwan issue,” a military spokesman said in a statement.

As it was mentioned, it isserious warning For Taiwanese independence forces or for those seeking independence.

Analysts estimate that the exercises will begin as soon as Pelosi is finished with Taiwan.

Currently, Chinese air raids have been observed in the vicinity of Taiwan, actions by which the Xi Jinping government usually demonstrates its military might in situations of tension.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said 21 Chinese aircraft entered the Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Tuesday.

The aircraft includes 10 Shenyang J-16 aircraft, which is one of China’s advanced fighters, and the Air Defense Identification Zone is an area outside the country’s territory and airspace, which nonetheless identifies and monitors foreign aircraft.

They are self-declared territories and are technically part of international airspace.

On the other hand, Beijing has also announced economic sanctions against Taiwan by suspending imports from 100 companies in the country’s food sector.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, calling it a “serious violation of the one-China principle.”

He stressed that this “seriously violates China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and will have a “serious political impact” on China-US relations.

“It seriously undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and sends a very wrong signal to the separatist forces for ‘Taiwan independence’,” the ministry said in its statement.

Beijing urged the United States not to “follow it.” The wrong and dangerous wayAnd “stop playing the ‘Taiwan card’ and interfering in China’s internal affairs.”

The possibility of the visit, which is part of a tour of Asia, has already raised tensions between Washington and Beijing, with the Chinese government threatening “serious consequences” if Pelosi comes to Taipei.

The Chinese Communist Party’s Taiwan Affairs Office also questioned the visit, adding that any attempt to seek Taiwan independence “will be annihilated by the mighty power of the Chinese people.”

China considers Taiwan a rogue province that will be reunited with the mainland sooner or later.

Meanwhile, Taiwan considers itself an independent, democratically governed country, although it has not formally declared its independence.

While the United States maintains what it calls a “strong, informal relationship” with Taiwan, it has formal diplomatic relations with China, not with the island.

Remember, you can receive notifications from BBC News Mundo. Download and activate the new version of our app so you don’t miss our best content.