New Delhi: As tensions spike ahead of US House of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan later on Tuesday, the spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in India said that the visit would constitute a gross interference in China's internal affairs. "A visit to Taiwan by Speaker Pelosi would constitute a gross interference in China’s internal affairs, greatly threaten peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, severely undermine China-US relations and lead to a very serious situation & grave consequences," Chinese embassy in New Delhi's spokesperson Wang Xiaojian said.
"The public opinion cannot be defied. Those who play with fire will perish by it. If the US side insists on visiting and challenges China’s red line, it will be met with resolute countermeasures. The US must bear all consequences arising thereof," said Xiaojian. He added that the one-China principle is the political foundation for China-US relations and reiterated that China firmly opposes separatist moves toward “Taiwan independence” and interference by external forces, and never allows any room for “Taiwan independence” forces in whatever form.
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Last week during a telephonic conversation, President Xi Jinping told US President Joe Biden that "whoever plays with fire will get burnt" about Taiwan, which China regards as its territory. During the conversation, President Biden underscored that the United States policy has not changed and that the United States strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian then said on Monday the People's Liberation Army "won't sit idly by" if Pelosi becomes the highest-ranking American official to visit Taiwan in 25 years. Biden said in May that Washington would defend Taiwan in any attack from China, although the White House clarified he meant the US would provide military weapons in line with existing agreements.
