China furiously condemned the highest-level U.S. visit to Taiwan in 25 years as House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi hailed the self-ruled island as "one of the freest societies in the world" in a speech to the parliament in Taipei on Wednesday.
Beijing demonstrated its anger with Pelosi's presence on an island that it says is part of China with a burst of military activity in the surrounding waters, and by summoning the U.S. ambassador in Beijing, and announcing the suspension of several agricultural imports from Taiwan.
Pelosi arrived in Taipei late on Tuesday on an unannounced but closely watched trip, saying that it shows unwavering U.S. commitment to Taiwan's democracy.
Addressing parliament on Wednesday, Pelosi praised President Tsai Ing-wen, who Beijing suspects of pushing for formal independence - a red line for China.
"We thank you for your leadership. We want the world to recognize that," Pelosi said while also calling for increased inter-parliamentary cooperation.
Pelosi went on to say that new U.S. legislation aimed at strengthening the American chip industry to compete with China "offers greater opportunity for US-Taiwan economic cooperation."
Now more than ever, America's solidarity with Taiwan is crucial, Pelosi told Tsai, adding that America's determination to preserve democracy in Taiwan and the rest of the world remains iron-clad.
The last House Speaker to go to Taiwan was Newt Gingrich visited in 1997. But Pelosi's visit comes amid sharply deteriorating Sino-U.S. relations, and China has emerged as a far more powerful economic, military and geopolitical force during the past quarter century.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has never renounced using force to bring it under its control. The United States warned China against using the visit as a pretext for military action against Taiwan.
Early on Wednesday, China's customs department announced a suspension of imports of citrus fruits, chilled white striped hairtail and frozen horse mackerel from Taiwan, while its commerce ministry suspended export of natural sand to Taiwan.
A long-time China critic, especially on human rights, Pelosi was set to meet later on Wednesday with a former Tiananman activist, a Hong Kong bookseller who had been detained by China and a Taiwanese activist recently released by China, people familiar with the matter said.
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