China is suspending cooperation with the US in several crucial areas, including efforts to combat global crime, military negotiations, and climate change. The fresh actions come after a legislative delegation from the US visited Taiwan under the leadership of prominent Democrat Nancy Pelosi. The visit is seen as a challenge to China’s claims of sovereignty over Taiwan, according to the country, which also said it was sanctioning Ms. Pelosi and her family. The autonomous island views itself as separate from the mainland.
China’s foreign ministry announced the restrictions on Friday. It stated that discussions between the US and Chinese defence officials would no longer take place, along with a suspension of cooperation on the deportation of illegal immigrants, addressing climate change, and looking into international crimes. In recent years, the two major nations have maintained friendly diplomatic relations over the urgency of addressing climate change. China promised to work “with urgency” with the US to reduce emissions at the Glasgow climate summit last year. The nations have also come together on occasion to battle the trade in dangerous narcotics like fentanyl. Because Ms. Pelosi visited Taiwan “in violation of China’s strong disapproval and serious representations,” the Chinese government stated in a statement, that the decision to cease cooperation was made.
The US delegation including Ms. Pelosi, who is the highest-ranking US politician to visit the island in 25 years, was also accused of engaging in “egregious provocations,” according to the statement.
Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary for the White House, said at a news conference on Friday that Ms. Pelosi “had every right” to travel to Taiwan and that China’s new policies were “fundamentally wrong.” “We’ll continue our efforts to keep open lines of communications with Beijing while defending our interests and values,” she said.
