China Pushes Back Against Pelosi Taiwan Visit

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is reportedly planning to visit Taiwan after a trip to Japan this weekend.

• Taiwan based United Daily News has reported that Pelosi will arrive in Taiwan on Sunday April 10 although this hasn’t yet been confirmed by Pelosi’s office.
• April 10 is the 43rd anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act - which codifies US-Taiwan diplomatic relations and enshrines US security commitments to the Island. A trip held on this date would be highly symbolic in light of a recent deterioration of Sino-US relations and may be considered a provocation by Beijing.
• Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said such a trip would: 'Seriously contravene China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, seriously undermine the political foundation of Sino-US relations, and send a totally wrong message to separatist forces promoting Taiwan independence.'
• Zhao continued: ‘If the United States insists on having its own way, China will take strong measures in response to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. All possible consequences that arise from this will completely be borne by the US side.’
• US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s said at the House Finance Committee hearing yesterday that 'Washington was ready to use all its sanctions tools against China if Beijing moved aggressively towards Taiwan.'
• This week has seen a significant uptick in geopolitical risk between China and the US. China criticised a move announced this week by the US to develop hypersonic missile capabilities with Australia, New Zealand, and the UK under the auspices of the AUKUS military alliance to counter Chinese influence in Asia-Pacific.