Amid soaring tensions between US and China over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's anticipated Taiwan visit, the Chinese Embassy in India on Tuesday said "those who play with fire will perish by it". The Chinese Embassy said the visit by Pelosi would lead to very serious situation and grave consequences.
"A visit to Taiwan by US Speaker Pelosi would constitute a gross interference in China's internal affairs, greatly threaten peace and stability across Taiwan Strait, severely undermine China-US relations and lead to very serious situation and grave consequences," Wang Xiaojian, spokesperson, Chinese Embassy in India, tweeted.
"Those who play with fire will perish by it. If the US side insists on making the visit and challenges China's red line, it will be met with resolute countermeasures. The US must bear all consequences arising thereof," the spokesperson further said.
China considers Taiwan its territory and has indicated to the US that it would view Pelosi's visit as a major provocation. The US' one-China policy recognises Beijing to be the legitimate government of China. However, it maintains informal relations and defense ties with Taiwan.
"The one-China principle is the political foundation for China-US relations. China firmly opposes separatist moves toward 'Taiwan independence' and interference by external forces, and never allows any room for 'Taiwan independence' forces in whatever form," the spokesperson said.
Pelosi arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday, the second stop in her Asian tour. Local media in Taiwan reported that Pelosi will arrive in Taipei on Tuesday night, becoming the highest-ranking elected US official to visit in more than 25 years.
China has warned of repercussions, saying its military will "never sit idly by" if Pelosi pushes ahead with the visit.
"The US side will bear the responsibility and pay the price for undermining China's sovereign security interests," AFP quoted foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying as saying at a press briefing in Beijing.
The United States has said that it would not be intimidated by Chinese "sabre rattling". "We will not take the bait or engage in sabre rattling. At the same time, we will not be intimidated," White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters in Washington.
The fresh tensions, on the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war, have driven concerns of a new crisis in the Taiwan Strait, which separates Taiwan and China, that could roil global markets and supply chains.