China declares countermeasures against US, including suspension of talks on climate change

China on Friday, Aug 5 announced a series of countermeasures in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's controversial Taiwan visit. The measure was undertaken after China's Ambassador to the US Qin Gang was summoned to the White House to question Beijing's flexing of military muscle as it kick-started the long-range live fire exercises and launched five ballistic missiles that landed in Taiwan's sovereign land in one of the largest military drills in the Taiwan Strait yet. China also sent 22 fighter jets across Taiwan's  "median line" as it conducted planned exercises in six zones encircling Taiwan that will last until noon on Sunday, Taipei's defence ministry said in its latest briefing.

Among the eight countermeasures that Beijing announced against the US for Pelosi's visit, it decided to halt the dialogue with the US in several key areas, including Climate Change and anti-drug bilateral cooperation. Even as the US iterated that it does not support Taiwan's independence but has diplomatic relations with the island, infuriated China slammed the US for emboldening the democratic and separatist forces in its breakaway province. China scrapped cooperation with the US with immediate effect in several areas as it announced eight response measures:

• Cancelling China-US Theater Commanders Talk.
• Cancelling China-US Defense Policy Coordination Talks (DPCT).
• Cancelling China-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA) meetings.
• Suspending China-US cooperation on the repatriation of illegal immigrants.
• Suspending China-US cooperation on legal assistance in criminal matters.
• Suspending China-US cooperation against transnational crimes.
• Suspending China-US counternarcotics cooperation.
• Suspending China-US talks on climate change.

China air force and naval aviation corps conduct aerial refuelling at an unspecified location in China. Credit: Xinhua via AP

Taiwan calls on the international community for support

As China's PLA ramped up the military presence around self-administered Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen called on the international community for support, saying that the government and military are "closely monitoring" China's military exercises. Tsai Ing-wen, in a tweet, said that Taiwan's armed forces have "heightened" their military readiness to defend the territorial integrity of the island as the mainland upped its military incursions into its territory. As the foreign ministers of the G7 also condemned China's military activities, China's foreign ministry summoned Canadian diplomat Jim Nickel to object to the G7 nations' statements. It also stated that it will sanction US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for landing in Taiwan despite PRC's concerns.