China's red line warning to US over Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan visit

China on Tuesday warned the US over Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan and said a US official's visit to the island will threaten peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China firmly opposes separatist moves toward “Taiwan independence”, a Chinese official said on Tuesday. "The US side will bear the responsibility and pay the price for undermining China's sovereign security interests," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular press briefing in Beijing. The Chinese embassy in India on Tuesday said if the US insists on making Palosi's visit to Taiwan during her Asia trip and challenges China’s red line, “it will be met with resolute countermeasures”.

The one-China principle is the political foundation for China-US relations. China firmly opposes separatist moves toward “Taiwan independence” and interference by external forces, and never allows any room for “Taiwan independence” forces in whatever form.

— Wang Xiaojian (@ChinaSpox_India) August 2, 2022

Pelosi was in Malaysia on Tuesday, the second stop in a tour that has sparked rage in Beijing after reports of a potential Taipei visit. China considers Taiwan its territory and has indicated through repeated warnings that it would view a Pelosi visit as a major provocation. American officials often make discreet visits to Taiwan to show support, but Pelosi would be a higher-profile visitor than any in recent history. Reports of her plans have sent US-China tensions soaring.

In a call with US President Joe Biden last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned the US against "playing with fire" on Taiwan. And China's ambassador to the United Nations, Zhang Hun, said on Monday that such a visit would be "very much dangerous, very much provocative". While the Biden administration is understood to be opposed to a Taiwan stop, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Pelosi was entitled to go where she pleased.