Irked by Nancy Pelosi's visit, China slaps trade curbs on Taiwan, begins drills

New Delhi, August 3

China has suspended some trade with Taiwan and has vowed to take “strong and resolute” countermeasures against US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s high-profile visit to Taipei, disregarding Beijing’s harsh statements and live-fire military drills. The curbs include the suspension of some fruit and fish imports from Taiwan, and exports of natural sand to the island but there is more in the offing. Pelosi left Taiwan on Wednesday but not before a final provocation to China by visiting the National Human Rights Museum where she paid tribute to those who “suffered and fought for Taiwan’s democracy”.

• Edit: Perilous provocation

Tensions are set to escalate as China will begin further live-fire military drills on Thursday in zones encircling Taiwan — at some points within just 20 km of the island’s shore. The drills will include “long-range live ammunition shooting” in the Taiwan Strait, which separates the island from mainland China and straddles vital shipping lanes. But Taiwan was defiant and its Defence Ministry has put the army on alert and warned that the exercises in which some missiles might fly over Taiwan could endanger key ports and urban areas.

The social media was alight with many asking when Xi Jinping would live up to his strong man image. Xi needs to demonstrate resoluteness not just to the global audience but domestic constituents as well because he is vying for an unprecedented third term to continue in power for another five years.

China is also Taiwan’s largest trading partner with bilateral trade worth $ 273 billion last year.

China views Taiwan as part of its territory.

Beijing has already warned the US that Pelosi’s trip would have a “severe impact on the political foundation of China-US relations”.

The White House has said there should be no reason for China to turn the visit into a crisis or use it as a pretext to “increase aggressiveness and military activity in or around the Taiwan Strait now or beyond her travel.” — TNS

US official visits rights museum

In another provocation to China, Pelosi pays tribute to those who fought for Taiwan’s democracy at National Human Rights Museum in Taipei

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