The escalation ahead of Pelosi’s visit sent markets in China tumbling and the Shanghai Composite and Hang Seng Index falling by more than 3 per cent. Taiwan auspol
Pelosi will be the highest-ranking serving US official to visit Taipei and meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in decades. Republican Newt Gingrich was the last US House Speaker to visit in 1997, but he was not a member of the governing Democratic Party. Pelosi and Tsai are expected to meet on Wednesday morning.
She has not commented publicly on the trip, but plans were leaked to US and Taiwanese media and the reports have provoked an increasingly heavy rhetorical response from Beijing.China’s customs authority announced overnight that it would suspend the importation of 180 products including cakes, biscuits and pineapple juices. Sina Weibo Taiwan, a Chinese microblogging service similar to Twitter, went down on Tuesday, but it was not clear if it was related to Pelosi’s visit.
Workers sort harvested pineapples at a distribution centre in Nantou County, Taiwan. China surprised Taiwan in May with a move to block pineapple imports.But analysts are concerned that Pelosi’s visit could escalate the dispute beyond trade sanctions.
“If Pelosi’s trip happens, the Chinese response will likely involve additional large-scale military activities in the Taiwan Strait. All these manoeuvres in close quarters could lead to dangerous encounters or, worse, an accidental collision, which could in turn spark further brinksmanship and escalation,” said International Crisis Group senior analyst Amanda Hsiao.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
China sends chilling warning to Pelosi ahead of suspected Taiwan tripBeijing has issued a dire warning to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and stressed she avoid visiting Taiwan during her Asia tour as the People's Liberation Army of China 'will never sit idly by'.
Read more »
British MPs plan visit to Taiwan as tension with China simmersExclusive: Tom Tugendhat likely to lead trip later this year as London’s relationship with Beijing deteriorates
Read more »
Eagle eyes are on Taiwan, but is China distracting us from a ‘second Pearl Harbour’?It’s merely a scenario, but is it plausible that the world is nervously anticipating the wrong war? One former major general in the Australian Army believes so.
Read more »
New Zealand MPs warned not to use TikTok over fears China could access dataHouse speaker tells all parties not to use the app on parliamentary devices over data security fears
Read more »
Eagle eyes are on Taiwan, but is China distracting us from a ‘second Pearl Harbour’?Is it plausible that by focusing on a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan, the world is nervously anticipating the wrong war? One former major general in the Australian Army believes so. | OPINION by Peter Hartcher
Read more »
New Zealand will continue to cooperate with ‘more assertive’ China, Ardern saysDespite their differences the nations have shared interests, Jacinda Ardern says as she plans trip to China
Read more »