‘Those who play with fire will burn’: China condemns Nancy Pelosi visit to Taiwan, announces military drills – BBC News BBC Homepage

“Those who play with fire will be burned,” the Chinese foreign ministry said, calling the trip “extremely dangerous.”

Chinese military drills will include ‘long-range live fire’ in the Taiwan Straitaccording to the army.

“This action is directed against the recent and shocking escalation by the United States on the Taiwan issue,” a military spokesperson said in a statement.

He also stated that he isa serious warning for Taiwanese independence forces or for those seeking independence.

The exercises will begin once Pelosi is no longer in Taiwan.

Beijing also announced economic sanctions by suspending imports from 100 Taiwanese food companies.

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

He assured that this “seriously violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China” and will have a “serious political impact” on relations between China and the United States.

“This seriously undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and sends a very bad signal to separatist forces for ‘Taiwan independence,'” the ministry said in its statement.

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

The possibility of the visit, which is part of an Asian tour, had already raised tensions between Washington and Beijing, with the Chinese government threatening “strong consequences” if Pelosi came to Taipei.

The Taiwan Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) also questioned the visit, adding that any attempt to seek Taiwanese independence “will be crushed by the mighty strength of the Chinese people.”

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

Meanwhile, Taiwan considers itself an independent, democratically governed country, although it has never officially declared its independence.

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

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