Maybe Nancy Pelosi actually did some good. Following in the footsteps of none other than Ronald Reagan and his "crazy old man" diplomacy that caused the Soviet Union to spend itself into poverty, Pelosi went ahead with a visit to Taiwan, causing heads to spin among the Chinese leadership. China is now responding to Pelosi's visit by taking measures against America, mainly of the symbolic "we're no longer talking to you" kind:
China on Friday said it is canceling or suspending dialogue with the United States on a range of issues from climate change to military relations and anti-drug efforts in retaliation for a visit this week to Taiwan by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The measures, which come amid cratering relations between Beijing and Washington, are the latest in a promised series of steps intended to punish the U.S. for allowing the visit to the island it claims as its own territory, to be annexed by force if necessary. China on Thursday launched threatening military exercises in six zones just off Taiwan's coasts that it says will run through Sunday.
Missiles have also been fired over Taiwan, defense officials told state media. China opposes the self-governing island having its own contacts with foreign governments, but its response to the Pelosi visit has been unusually vociferous.
The Foreign Ministry said dialogue between U.S. and Chinese regional commanders and defense department heads would be canceled, along with talks on military maritime safety.
Cooperation on returning illegal immigrants, criminal investigations, transnational crime, illegal drugs and climate change will be suspended, the ministry said.
China said Friday that more than 100 warplanes and 10 warships have taken part in the live-fire military drills surrounding Taiwan over the past two days, while announcing mainly symbolic sanctions against U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her family over her visit to Taiwan earlier this week.
Oh, boo-hoo. I'm waiting for China to try invading Taiwan. I know China's been watching Russia's clumsy efforts in Ukraine, so China has to know that any attempt at a real invasion is going to be a massive shit-show, whether America gets directly involved or not.
UPDATE: here's China Uncensored's commentary on the Pelosi visit:
"Maybe Nancy Pelosi actually did some good."
ReplyDeleteNow, that's a sentence I never expected to read in this lifetime.
Anyway, I'm glad China has limited it's response (so far) to meaningless bluster. There is a day of reckoning coming, I just hope China holds off until we have competent leadership in the White House. Yeah, good luck with that.