China Sanctions Pelosi, Ends Military Maritime Dialogue With US over House Speaker’s Taiwan Visit
Beijing on Friday announced that it has imposed sanctions on US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her immediate family members. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson apprised state-run media outlet CGTN of the development.
China further announced that it will cancel all ongoing dialogues between the Chinese and US military officials. China also has cancelled the China-US maritime safety dialogue.
China says these are countermeasures for Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
Since 1998, the Department of Defence and the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) Ministry of National Defence have held meetings under the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA) agreement. The aim of the talks is to – strengthen military maritime safety, improve operational safety in the air and sea, and reduce risk of miscalculation between the two militaries.
The cancellation of the dialogue between both nuclear superpowers means that the relationship between Washington and Beijing has further deteriorated. This also increases the risk that Beijing clandestinely could support Moscow to corner the US, thus providing Russia with the motivation to prolong the war in Ukraine.
China also said that it will discontinue the joint efforts both nations earlier took to address the menace of drugs and climate change. China said in response to Pelosi’s visit, it will discontinue working with the US on these issues.
The Chinese state-run media outlet Global Times said that China has cancelled the following –
- China-US Theatre Commanders Talk
- China-US Defence Policy Coordination Talks (DPCT)
- China-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA)
- China-US cooperation on the repatriation of illegal immigrants
- China-US cooperation on legal assistance in criminal matters
- China-US cooperation against transnational crimes
- China-US counternarcotics cooperation
- China-US talks on climate change
Meanwhile, the sabre-rattling on the Taiwan Straits continues as live-fire military drills are conducted by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The PLA is conducting the war drills to subdue Taiwan but have only achieved to earn the ire of China’s neighbours and the international community.
However, the cancellation of the dialogues could be due to the pressure Chinese president Xi Jinping may have been facing from within the Communist Party of China (CPC) and its elder members as he tries to maintain his strongman image ahead of his entry into third term.
Read the Latest News and Breaking News here
For all the latest world News Click Here
