China has suspended cooperation with the US over range of issues and also sanctioned US Speaker Nancy Pelosi over her trip to Taiwan.
Gatekeepers News reports that China’s Foreign Ministry announced new countermeasures against Washington on Friday, including the suspension of climate talks.
This was in response to Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, hours after it announced sanctions against the US House speaker.
The measures announced by the China Foreign Ministry include the cancellation of future phone calls and meetings between Chinese and US defense leaders, for which future dates had not been announced, and the cancellation of annual naval meetings under the China-US military maritime consultation mechanism.
In a press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying added that the cooperation on the repatriation of illegal immigrants, legal assistance on criminal matters, and the combat of transnational crimes have been suspended.
China further suspended its anti-drug cooperation with the US, which has already been strained in recent years. The US has blamed China for failing to stop synthetic opioids from reaching the US as both Beijing and Washington disagree on how to counteract the problem.
China’s Foreign Ministry also said it would suspend climate change talks, a major area of cooperation despite escalating tensions in recent years.
The moves come after Beijing announced that it would sanction Pelosi and her immediate family over the visit to Taiwan, and as it stepped up military drills and warplane incursions around the island.
Earlier on Friday, China’s Foreign Ministry condemned US Speaker for what it described as her “vicious and provocative actions,” adding her trip to Taiwan amounted to “seriously interfering in China’s internal affairs.”
A statement from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday said, “U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi insisted on visiting Taiwan in disregard of China’s serious concerns and firm opposition, seriously interfering in China’s internal affairs, seriously undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, seriously trampling on the one-China principle, and seriously threatening the peace and stability across Taiwan Strait.
“In response to Pelosi’s vicious and provocative actions, China has decided to impose sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family.”
Pelosi visited Taiwan on Wednesday to meet President Tsai Ing-wen and other leaders, ignoring threats from the Chinese government over retaliation.
Her stop in Taipei was the first time that a US House speaker has visited Taiwan in 25 years.
Pelosi and the congressional delegation that accompanied her said in a statement that the visit “honors America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s vibrant democracy.”
