China suspends cooperation with US on several issues, sanctions Pelosi over Taiwan visit

In a statement released on Friday, China’s Foreign Ministry announced that it is also halting cooperation with the US on the prevention of cross-border crime and on repatriating illegal migrants, among eight specific measures.

The strong blow comes on the heels of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s widely criticized visit to self-ruled Taiwan despite china’s increasing warnings.

Soon after Pelosi left Japan on the final leg of her Asian tour, China also canceled a planned bilateral meeting on a maritime military security mechanism.

Meanwhile, Beijing has separately announced that it would personally sanction Pelosi and her immediate family in response to her “vicious” and “provocative” actions.

The Foreign Ministry said Pelosi was “seriously interfering in China’s internal affairs and seriously undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” with the visit.

Pelosi’s brief visit this week infuriated Beijing and triggered Chinese military drills on an unprecedented scale in the seas and air around the island, bringing condemnation from the US and other Western allies.

In this regard, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned China’s military drills as “a significant escalation,” stressing that there was “no justification” for such exercises.

The drills, as the Chinese military said, involved a “conventional missile firepower assault” in waters to the east of Taiwan, with Beijing stressing on Friday that the exercises will continue until midday Sunday.

Beijing’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported that the Chinese army “flew more than 100 warplanes including fighters and bombers” during the drills, as well as “over 10 destroyers and frigates.”

In the meantime, Pelosi defended her trip to Taiwan and hit back at Beijing’s recent drills, saying Washington would “not allow” China to isolate the island. The House speaker, however, said her trip was not aimed at changing the status quo of the island.

Pelosi’s controversial and ill-timed visit has been condemned worldwide, with countries such as Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and North Korea backing the One China policy and denouncing the breach of China’s territorial integrity.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have hit a new low over the self-ruled island. China sees Taiwan as part of its territory and has already warned Washington against playing with fire, vowing to punish those who ignore Beijing’s warnings.