China has imposed sanctions against US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over her trip to Taiwan. She became the highest-ranking US official to face sanctions from Beijing.
This is reported by Reuters.
Chinaʼs Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced sanctions against Pelosi and her immediate family. Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a briefing that tensions over Taiwan this week were "entirely caused by Speaker Pelosi and US politicians."
China did not specify exactly what these sanctions entail. Previous such measures restricted access to and doing business in China, Hong Kong and Macau.
- Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi officially arrived in Taiwan on August 3. Pelosi is the third-ranking official in the US and became the highest-ranking US politician to visit Taiwan since 1997. In China, her visit has already been called a "serious violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity."
- Pelosiʼs visit was accompanied by tension in the region. Chinese troops have deployed training and pulled forces around Taiwan. The latterʼs troops were put on heightened alert until August 4.
- US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said China had decided to "overreact" to Pelosiʼs trip and use it as a pretext for provocative military action.