Stuff Digital Edition

War of words over Pelosi’s Taiwan visit gets hotter

THE White House has summoned China’s ambassador to condemn its escalating actions against Taiwan, the latest step in an intensifying geopolitical crisis as Washington and Beijing exchange accusations following a trip by United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan that infuriated Chinese leaders.

Officials told ambassador Qin Gang that China’s recent military actions – including firing missiles into the waters around Taiwan – were ‘‘irresponsible and at odds with our longstanding goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait’’, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, visiting Cambodia, delivered an equally sharp message to China.

‘‘These provocative actions are a significant escalation,’’ he said. ‘‘They’ve taken dangerous acts to a new level.’’

China said yesterday it was cancelling or suspending dialogue with the US on issues including climate change, military relations and anti-drug efforts. Beijing also announced unspecified sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family, in retaliation for what it called a ‘‘malicious and provocative’’ insistence on visiting Taiwan over Beijing’s strong opposition.

‘‘Ambassador Qin Gang totally rejected the so-called condemnation of Chinese military countermeasures,’’ the Chinese embassy in Washington said. ‘‘We have pointed out that it is the US side that is the troublemaker to peace and stability of the Taiwan Straits and the region.’’

Pelosi, for her part, remained defiant. China ‘‘may try to keep Taiwan from visiting or participating in other places, but they will not isolate Taiwan’’, she said in Tokyo, her final stop on an Asian tour. She added that Beijing could not dictate who could visit the island.

Virtually all the senior members of US President Joe Biden’s national security team privately expressed deep reservations about Pelosi’s trip and its timing, a White House official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Top administration officials outlined for Pelosi’s offices the likely consequences of her visit, officials said, and General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, personally briefed Pelosi.

But when it became clear that Pelosi – the US’ third-highestranking official, behind Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris – was determined to make the trip, administration officials began publicly defending her right to do so, emphasising that she was entirely independent of the White House, and warning China against over-reacting.

for the Warriors each metre seemed a huge battle.

One of the few positive from a Warriors point of view was hooker Freddy Lussick.

The 21-year-old had a huge game on defence, something not many of his team-mates could say, while he was also lively with his distribution at dummy half.

Edward Kosi also played pretty well on the left wing. But aside from these two, there are few in the Warriors who can hold their heads high.

It didn’t take long for the Rabbitohs to score the first try, with Lachlan Ilias running through a horrendously big gap between Bayley Sironen and Wayde Egan close to their goalline.

The Rabbitohs’ second try came in the 10th minute. Cameron Murray made the break after receiving a pass from

Damien Cook. After making ground he returned the ball to Cook, who went 30m to score.

The big moment

Lachlan Ilias’s try for the Rabbitohs in the third minute.

It was all downhill for the stunned Warriors after that.

Match rating: 4/10

This wasn’t even close to being a contest and it’s not as if the Rabbitohs were playing incredible footy either.

The big picture

Incoming Warriors coach

Andrew Webster is enjoying a run to the finals with the

Panthers right now, but he got a reminder what he’s in for. The fans will be hoping he doesn’t do a backflip for ‘family reasons’.

WORLD

en-nz

2022-08-07T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-08-07T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281844352402254

Stuff Limited