The fallout over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan escalated sharply Friday as China reacted angrily to having its ambassador summoned to the White House, said it would cancel or suspend dialogue with the United States on several issues and sanctioned Pelosi and her family.
After China responded to Pelosi’s visit by firing missiles into the waters around Taiwan, the White House responded Thursday by telling Ambassador Qin Gang that China’s recent military actions — including firing missiles into the waters around Taiwan — were “irresponsible and at odds with our long-standing goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in a statement provided to The Washington Post.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking to reporters in Cambodia, delivered an equally sharp message to China. “There is no justification for this extreme, disproportionate, and escalatory military response,” he said, adding, “These provocative actions are a significant escalation. . . . They’ve taken dangerous acts to a new level.” (Read More)
