BEIJING: China's foreign ministry announced sanctions against US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday, after her visit to Taiwan this week prompted fury and shows of military force from Beijing.
The ministry said Pelosi was "seriously interfering in China's internal affairs and seriously undermining China's sovereignty and territorial integrity" with the visit, and that Beijing would "impose sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family", without giving further details.
China has announced sanctions on a number of US officials in recent years for acting against what it views as its core interests and speaking out on human rights issues in Hong Kong and the northwestern region of Xinjiang, often without specifying punitive measures.
In March this year Beijing said it was imposing visa restrictions on an undisclosed list of United States officials who had allegedly "concocted lies on human rights issues involving China".
Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, as well as Peter Navarro -- a trade adviser to former president Donald Trump -- were among those hit by earlier waves of sanctions and are forbidden from entering China as well as doing business with Chinese entities.
Beijing's ruling Communist Party views self-ruled, democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day take it, by force if necessary.
The Chinese government has reacted with bombastic threats and military drills in the lead-up to and aftermath of Pelosi's visit, which it sees as an unacceptable escalation of ties between Washington and Taiwan´s current pro-independence leaders.
The tourist, who was believed to be 23 years old, who had recently moved to a resort in Egypt with his father and was...
The blast occurred at the Nabawi mosque in Faizabad as a great number of compatriots gathered for Ahmadi's funeral,...
Prosterol biota found in 1.6-billion-year-old rocks are oldest remnants of our lineage, study reveals
Three men inflated a duck, nicknamed Quackers, and set out to sea with another friend on an inflatable kayak.
Modi's visit highlights US's interest in countering China's influence and strengthening alliances in region
Trump denied reports of being indicted and labeled the investigations as election interference.