China on Friday announced that it was ending cooperation with the United States on a litany of key issues including climate change, anti-drug efforts, and military talks, as relations between the two superpowers nosedive over Taiwan.
Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its territory and has pledged to seize it by force if necessary, has reacted angrily to a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.
The self-governing, democratic island has been surrounded by massive military exercises since Thursday, which have been roundly denounced by the United States and other Western partners.
On Friday, it escalated its retaliation against the United States by halting negotiations and cooperation on a number of agreements between the two countries, including one related to climate change.
The world’s two largest polluters last year pledged to work together to accelerate climate action this decade, and vowed to meet regularly to ‘address the climate crisis’.
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But that deal looks shaky as relations sink to some of their lowest levels in years, as do agreements on everything from talks on military matters to anti-drug cooperation.
Pelosi — who Beijing also hit with sanctions for the visit — has defended her trip to Taiwan, saying Friday that Washington would “not allow” China to isolate the island.
Africa Today News, New York reports that in Washington, the White House summoned China’s ambassador to Washington to condemn Beijing’s ‘irresponsible’ behaviour over Taiwan, a senior US official said Friday.
Taiwan has also condemned Beijing’s response to the visit, with premier Su Tseng-chang calling for allies to push for de-escalation.
The scale and intensity of China’s drills have triggered outrage in the United States and other democracies.