News - Chinese State Media Threatens 'Counterattack' if Nancy Pelosi Visits Taiwan

China's state-run media issued strong warnings and threats on Friday regarding a possible visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan during her trip to Asia, which she began this week.

Pelosi's official itinerary only includes confirmed visits to Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore—all allies of the United States in the region. While there has been significant speculation and calls for the top House Democrat, who represents California, to visit Taiwan, a stop in the country is only a tentative possibility.

Tensions between the U.S. and China over Taiwan have been high for decades, with concern about a potential conflict ever in the background of the two superpowers routinely fraught relationship. Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory under the "one country, two systems" model, but the island nation has operated autonomously for decades and has a vibrant democracy, as opposed to China's authoritarian one-party system.

"U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has laid a mine where China-U.S. relations and the situation around the Taiwan Straits converge," an editorial on Friday by the Global Times, which is published by the ruling Chinese Communist Party, said.

The opinion article said that "one thing is certain: China will take strong measures to resolutely respond and counteract, and it will let the huge risk created by Pelosi have an impact on herself. This is not only a firm and clear attitude, but will certainly be accompanied by a strong and concrete course of action plan."

Fighter jets and missiles could even be deployed to prevent Pelosi from landing, according to the state-run media outlet.

"If needed, we could also delimit missile test areas and conduct ballistic tests. During the sensitive period, the People's Liberation Army will monitor Pelosi's plane in a timely manner. If it is found flying toward our airspace, the PLA fighter jets could warn, follow, intercept, electronically interfere, force a landing, or drive it back. In this process, any consequences may occur, and the responsibility rests entirely with the U.S.," the editorial warned.