[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] China's foreign authorities have demanded that Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, refrain from visiting Taiwan, warning that the U.S.-China confrontation, which began with former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, could escalate significantly.
Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at a regular briefing on the 30th, "We urge certain individuals in the United States to sincerely adhere to the One-China principle" and added, "All actions that violate the basic norms of international relations must cease."
Although spokesperson Mao Ning did not directly mention Speaker McCarthy by name, he responded to reporters' questions regarding speculation that McCarthy, a Republican known for his hardline stance toward China, might visit Taiwan this spring.
He did not comment on what measures the Chinese government might take if Speaker McCarthy's visit to Taiwan becomes a reality.
In August last year, China severed communication channels with the United States in retaliation for Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, and continued high-intensity military actions such as sending dozens of military aircraft and warships beyond the median line of the Taiwan Strait as part of its retaliatory measures against the U.S.
According to Bloomberg News, the U.S.-China relationship, which had been extremely chilled by Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, showed some improvement when U.S. President Joe Biden held his first face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in November last year; however, it reiterated that there is no room for compromise regarding Taiwan's sovereignty issue.
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