China announces sanctions, countermeasures after Pelosi's Taiwan visit

TOKYO, Aug 5 (KUNA) -- China decided to adopt sanctions on US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her immediate family members in accordance with relevant laws, after her visit to Taiwan earlier this week.
The move is in response to Pelosi's "egregious provocation," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in statement on Friday without specifying the nature of the potential sanctions. "In disregard of China's grave concerns and firm opposition, Pelosi insisted on visiting Taiwan.
"This constitutes a gross interference in China's internal affairs. It gravely undermines China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, seriously tramples on the one-China principle, and severely threatens peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," according to the statement.
The ministry also announced countermeasures against Washington, including the cancellation of bilateral talks for defense policy coordination and military maritime consultative agreement, as well as the suspension of China-US talks on climate change.
Pelosi, who is second in line to the US presidency, visited Taiwan on Tuesday despite Beijing's warnings, becoming the first incumbent US House speaker to set foot in Taiwan in 25 years. China and Taiwan separated after a civil war in 1949, but Beijing sees the island as its territory. (end) mk.gb