Pelosi Taiwan visit LIVE: China’s FM holds briefing amid rising tensions

Taiwan’s president has criticised China’s military drills as “unnecessary” as she addressed reporters following her talks with Pelosi.

China’s Foreign Ministry holds briefing amid rising tensions over Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit

The nature of her (US Speaker Nancy Pelosi) visit to the Taiwan region is not about democracy. This is an issue about China’s sovereignty & territorial integrity: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson

Pelosi’s trip has heightened US-China tensions more than visits by other members of Congress because of her high-level position as leader of the House of Representatives. She is the first speaker of the house to come to Taiwan in 25 years, since Newt Gingrich in 1997.

Nancy Pelosi visits White Terror Memorial Park in Taiwan

TV screens at multiple 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan were hacked to display the words “War Pelosi get out of Taiwan”, according to local media reports.

At a joint news conference a short time ago Pelosi played down the controversy around her visit to Taiwan and said Beijing had not responded similarly when other US legislators visited earlier this year.

Chinese President, Xi Jinping has said that Beijing is keeping its eyes open in the wake of the visit by Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
The Chinese president also said that his country continues to look at the world with eyes open not to miss a single provocation from the US reactionaries.
Meanwhile Taiwan has announced increased military alert levels after the visit by Pelosi.

Won’t do anything to increase tension: US National Security Coordinator John Kirby on Pelosi’s Taiwan visit

Furious over the US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s high-profile visit to Taipei, the first by a top American official in 25 years, China on Wednesday announced punitive measures on outfits seeking ”Taiwan independence”, banned imports of some Taiwanese food products and suspended the export of natural sand.

Japan has expressed concern to China over its military drills in waters around Taiwan, according to a government spokesperson.

Chinese military exercises near Taiwan have encroached on the island’s territory and amount to a blockade of its sea and air space, the defence ministry has said.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen the island would “not back down” as a furious China geared up for military drills in retaliation for the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Taiwan’s cabinet said the military has increased its alertness level and authorities will make plans to ensure safety and stability around the island nation.

Meanwhile, Taiwan said more than 20 Chinese military aircraft had flown into the island’s air defence identification zone — an area wider than its territorial airspace that overlaps with part of China’s air defence zone.

Pelosi addressed Taiwan’s Parliament on Wednesday and called for increased inter-parliamentary cooperation.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi late Tuesday arrived in Taiwan, the self-ruled island claimed by China, which quickly announced that it would conduct military maneuvers in retaliation for her presence.