China Warns of 'Firm and Resolute Measures' If Nancy Pelosi Visits Taiwan

"And the US will be responsible for all of the serious consequences," China's foreign ministry spokesperson added.

Nancy Pelosi.

(Photo: Twitter/@SpeakerPelosi)N

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said earlier this week on 25 July that China would take "firm and resolute measures" if US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.

"And the US will be responsible for all of the serious consequences," he added, as reported by the BBC.

In addition to this, Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesperson of the Chinese ministry of defence event went on to say that:

"If the US side insists on going ahead, the Chinese military will never sit idle and will take strong measures to thwart any external interference and separatist attempts for 'Taiwan independence'," as reported by China Daily.

"If Pelosi visits Taiwan, [People's Liberation Army] military aircraft will accompany Pelosi's plane to enter the island, making a historic crossing of the island by military aircraft from mainland for the 1st time," Hu Xijin, the former editor of China's state-run Global Times newspaper, wrote last week.

While Taiwan is a flashpoint in Sino-American relations, there is strong bipartisan support for Taiwan in the US.

Pelosi in particular has been a strong critic of China throughout her political career that has already lasted for more than three decades.

While the speaker of the House of Representatives has refused to discuss details of her trip, she mention as early as last week that it was "important for us (the United States) to show support for Taiwan".

You can read all about China's tensions with Taiwan here. It is important to remember that while the US strongly supports Taiwan, it does not diplomatically recognise Taiwan as an independent nation.

(With inputs from the BBC, China Daily, and the Global Times.)