Nancy Pelosi lands in Taiwan; China plans targeted military operations to counter trip
Pelosi landed in Taipei Tuesday night, according to the television footage shown by US networks. She is the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
China on Tuesday warned that US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan disregarding its stern warnings will have a “severe impact” on bilateral ties and it “gravely undermines” regional peace and stability, as the official media here said that the military will launch a series of “targeted” operations to counter her trip.
Pelosi landed in Taipei Tuesday night, according to the television footage shown by US networks. She is the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
After Pelosi arrived in Taiwan, Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a strong statement, saying that her visit is a “serious violation of the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques”.
China claims Taiwan as part of the mainland and vows to integrate what it calls the rebel province even by force.
“It has a severe impact on the political foundation of China-US relations, and seriously infringes upon Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity. It gravely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces for Taiwan independence. China firmly opposes and sternly condemns this, and has made serious demarche and strong protest to the United States,” the statement said.
There is but one-China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinas territory, and the Government of the Peoples Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, it said.
This has been clearly recognised by United Nations General Assembly Resolution and 181 countries have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle, it said.
“The one-China principle is a universal consensus of the international community and a basic norm in international relations,” it said.
In 1979, the United States made a clear commitment in the China-US Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations — “The United States of America recognises the Government of the Peoples Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China,” it said.
Dismissing US Secretary Antony Blinkens assertion that US Congress functioned independently from the government, the statement said the US “Congress, as a part of the US Government, is inherently obliged to strictly observe the one-China policy of the US Government and refrain from having any official exchanges with Chinas Taiwan region”.
“China is all along opposed to the visit to Taiwan by US congressional members, and the US executive branch has the responsibility to stop such visit,” it said.
“Since Speaker Pelosi is the incumbent leader of the US Congress, her visit to and activities in Taiwan, in whatever form and for whatever reason, is a major political provocation to upgrade US official exchanges with Taiwan. China absolutely does not accept this, and the Chinese people absolutely reject this,” it said.
Series of targeted military operations
Citing the Ministry of National Defence spokesperson Sr. Col. Wu Qian, state-run Global Times reported that the Chinese military “will launch a series of targeted military operations to counter Pelosis visit to Taiwan island, and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Joint military activities will be conducted around Taiwan island starting Tuesday night to deter US provocations on the Taiwan question and warn “Taiwan Independence separatists, said Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for Chinas PLA Eastern Theatre Command, on Tuesday.
After arriving in Taipei, Pelosi said that the US delegations visit “honours Americas unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwans vibrant democracy.” “Our visit is one of several Congressional delegations to Taiwan – and it in no way contradicts longstanding United States policy, she said. “By travelling to Taiwan, we honour our commitment to democracy: reaffirming that the freedoms of Taiwan and all democracies must be respected.” She said that her “visit reiterates that America stands with Taiwan: a robust, vibrant democracy and our important partner in the Indo-Pacific.” Beijing routinely protests any foreign dignitaries visits to Taiwan, which claims its own and firmly insists all countries follow the One China policy acknowledging that the breakaway province is part of its mainland.
Arriving by the US Air Force plane, Pelosi and her delegation was received at the tarmac of the Taipei airport by Taiwans Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.
She flew from Malaysia as militaries of China, Taiwan and the US went on full alert amid high voltage rhetoric from Beijing objecting to her visit, saying that it is violation of its sovereignty as Taiwan belongs to it. Pelosi was expected to meet Taiwanese President Tsi-Ing-wen, whom China accuses as separatist, on Wednesday and spend the day touring the island including some of the industrial units.
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