CHina says Beijing will take further action following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit, urging naval vessels to refrain from passing through the Taiwan Strait. To Taipei, which called out to the United States.
China's ambassador to Washington, Qin Gang, said on Tuesday that China sees such Taiwan passage as an escalation by the United States and an effort to support the "separatist" government in Taipei. Stated. He warned after Massachusetts Democrat Senator Edward Markey wrapped up his second trip to the island by a delegation to the United States Congress in less than two weeks. issued.
"The US side is doing too much and going too far in this region," Qin said in response to a question about potential naval patrols. We call on China to exercise restraint, restraint, and not to escalate tensions, so that any move that undermines China's territorial integrity and sovereignty will be responded to. China will respond."
READ MORE: Pelosi's Taiwan trip is a 'wake-up call' for US and China
Biden administrationannounced that air and sea freight transit through the Taiwan Strait after China conducted a series of military exercises around Taiwan, including likely launching ballistic missiles over Taipei in response to Pelosi's visit. said to implement The United States has long argued that passages like Congressional visits are consistent with its "One China" policy of not officially recognizing a democratically elected government in Taipei.
Over the past decade, the Navy has averaged about nine voyages a year across the Channel, far fewer than the 100 voyages the U.S. makes each year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The most recent known trip was on her 19th July when the destroyer USS Benfold navigated the channel.
Similarly, Pelosi was only the oldest of his 149 members of Congress to visit Taiwan in the past decade.
The Biden administration should not underestimate China's resolve on the issue of the US Congress' visit to Taiwan, Qin said, rejecting the White House's claim that lawmakers can act independently. He added that such a visit violates the pact that underpins US-China relations.
"Congress is part of the U.S. government, not an independent, out-of-control branch," Qin said. "Congress is obligated to follow U.S. foreign policy. That is why we are so frustrated and frustrated by Senator Markey's visit to Taiwan. It is provocative and unhelpful."
34} Read more: Pelosi's visit to Taiwan has no merit
A group of lawmakers are scheduled to visit Taiwan next week, Kyodo News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.The Defense Ministry in Tokyo previously said China's ballistic missiles had hit Taiwan after Pelosi's visit. It said it landed in what Japan considers its exclusive economic zone.
Qin defended the Chinese military's reaction to the trip, saying the training was "open, transparent and professional."
"We are dealing with the serious consequences of Pelosi's visit," Qin told reporters in Washington. He cautioned the United States not to "underestimate the strong resolve, resolution and ability of the Chinese government and people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Qin also downplayed the threat of an imminent Chinese attack on Taiwan, saying he was not aware of a concrete timeline.
"People are getting overly nervous about it," he said, adding that speculation that China had accelerated the timeline for aggression was "unfounded."
—with contributions from Kari Lindberg, Christopher Anstey and Daniel Ten Kate
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