She came, met the Taiwanese president, among other things, assured her of the full support of the United States and flew away again. But the diplomatic aftermath of Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan could last longer and potentially escalate further. China has already threatened the US with “punishment”. The Taiwanese military now fears a naval and air blockade by China.
“Those who insult China will be punished,” Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday on the sidelines of ASEAN’s foreign ministers’ meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. In addition to military maneuvers with live ammunition towards Taiwan, China has also partially halted trade with the island. The export of sand to Taiwan has been stopped immediately, the Ministry of Commerce in Beijing announced on Wednesday. Imports of citrus fruits, frozen mackerel fillets and refrigerated scabbardfish from Taiwan have also been banned with immediate effect, Chinese customs officials said.
After threatening gestures in the run-up to the trip, Pekinig launched a deterrent maneuver around the arrival of the 82-year-old Speaker of the House of Representatives: 21 fighter jets violate Taiwan’s airspace. Pelosi stressed that her visit to the island makes it clear that the United States will not abandon Taiwan.
President: Taiwan will not back down
President Tsai Ing-wen thanked Pelosi for her concrete actions to support Taiwan at this critical time and said the island will not back down given the increasing military threat from China. Taiwan is a trusted partner of the United States and will continue to promote cooperation on security, economic development and supply chains.
China considers Taiwan to be part of the People’s Republic. Taiwan, on the other hand, has repeatedly stated that it is an independent country. However, the island is only recognized by a few countries because most of the international community – including Austria – attaches greater importance to relations with the People’s Republic of China. The US also does not recognize Taiwan as an independent state, but is nevertheless bound by military assistance obligations entered into after the Second World War. US President Joe Biden recently publicly assured that Washington will assist Taipei in the event of Chinese aggression.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
