China sanctions Nancy Pelosi over Taiwan visit, says foreign ministry

Nancy Pelosi was the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the self-governing island in 25 years.

China has announced unspecified sanctions on U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her visit earlier this week to Taiwan. A Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said on August 5, 2022 that Ms. Pelosi had disregarded China’s concerns and resolute opposition to her visit to the self-ruled island, which Beijing claims.

Ms. Pelosi was the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the self-governing island in 25 years. China claims Taiwan as its territory and opposes it having its own engagements with foreign governments.

The Chinese statement called Ms. Pelosi’s visit provocative and said it undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It said that sanctions would be imposed on Pelosi and her immediate family but did not say what they would be. Such sanctions are generally mostly symbolic in nature.

Earlier, China said it summoned European diplomats in the country to protest statements issued by the Group of Seven nations and the European Union criticizing threatening Chinese military exercises surrounding Taiwan.

The Foreign Ministry said Vice Minister Deng Li made “solemn representations” over what he called “wanton interference in China’s internal affairs.”

China has dispatched navy ships and warplanes and launched missiles into the Taiwan Strait in response to a visit this week by U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, which China regards as its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary.

On the Chinese coast across from Taiwan, tourists gathered Friday to try to catch a glimpse of any military aircraft heading toward the exercise area. Fighter jets could be heard flying overhead and tourists taking photos chanted, “Let’s take Taiwan back,” looking out into the blue waters of the Taiwan Strait from Pingtan island, a popular scenic spot.