Pelosi Taiwan visit LIVE: Tension over Pelosi's visit 'should not be underestimated', says Russia

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that the level of tension provoked by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan "should not be underestimated".

The world needs to exemplify the courage of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, travelling despite so much hue & cry by Chinese media & leadership. We need to stand up & show solidarity with the wrongdoings of China: Dolma Tsering Teykhang, Dy Speaker of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.

Why should China be so concerned with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan?... The visit shows the freedom of the democratic world. China needs to understand how a democratic world works: Dolma Tsering Teykhang, Dy Speaker, Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile

China has reacted & announced that from 4th Aug, there will be a series of military & naval exercises in Taiwan Strait - that is their way of saying what US did isn't correct. So, it's a difficult situation for both countries, the region & the world as a whole: Gautam Bambawale

Why should China be so concerned with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan?... The visit shows the freedom of the democratic world. China needs to understand how a democratic world works: Dolma Tsering Teykhang, Dy Speaker, Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Australian university students that China must not help Russia in its war against his homeland and remain at least neutral.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan has drawn bipartisan support at home and backing among the world's democracies. Meanwhile, China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory with no right to an independent identity, has rallied support among fellow authoritarian states. The divided opinions speak both to China's growing global influence and the backlash that has prompted among the world's liberal societies.

Lending its support to its all-weather ally China, Pakistan on Wednesday said US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan will have "serious implications" for regional peace and stability. Pelosi landed in Taipei on Tuesday night disregarding China's stern warnings. She is the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years.

Taiwan is negotiating with neighbouring Japan and the Philippines to find alternative aviation routes, the official Central News Agency (CNA) reports, after China announced drills that the trade-reliant island said amounted to a “blockade”.

North Korea has criticised Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, calling it an “impudent interference” by the US in China’s internal affairs.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov says Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan was a deliberate attempt by the US to irritate China. “I see no other reason to create such an annoyance almost out of the blue, knowing very well what it means for the People’s Republic of China,” Lavrov said during a visit to Myanmar.

Foreign ministers of Southeast Asian nations will seek ways to help quell the diplomatic storm over Taiwan during an ongoing meeting in the Cambodian capital.

Taiwan’s president has criticised China’s military drills as “unnecessary” as she addressed reporters following her talks with Pelosi.

China's Foreign Ministry holds briefing amid rising tensions over Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan visit

The nature of her (US Speaker Nancy Pelosi) visit to the Taiwan region is not about democracy. This is an issue about China's sovereignty & territorial integrity: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson

Pelosi's trip has heightened US-China tensions more than visits by other members of Congress because of her high-level position as leader of the House of Representatives. She is the first speaker of the house to come to Taiwan in 25 years, since Newt Gingrich in 1997.

Nancy Pelosi visits White Terror Memorial Park in Taiwan

TV screens at multiple 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan were hacked to display the words "War Pelosi get out of Taiwan", according to local media reports.

At a joint news conference a short time ago Pelosi played down the controversy around her visit to Taiwan and said Beijing had not responded similarly when other US legislators visited earlier this year.

Chinese President, Xi Jinping has said that Beijing is keeping its eyes open in the wake of the visit by Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. The Chinese president also said that his country continues to look at the world with eyes open not to miss a single provocation from the US reactionaries. Meanwhile Taiwan has announced increased military alert levels after the visit by Pelosi.

Won’t do anything to increase tension: US National Security Coordinator John Kirby on Pelosi's Taiwan visit

Furious over the US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's high-profile visit to Taipei, the first by a top American official in 25 years, China on Wednesday announced punitive measures on outfits seeking ''Taiwan independence”, banned imports of some Taiwanese food products and suspended the export of natural sand.

Japan has expressed concern to China over its military drills in waters around Taiwan, according to a government spokesperson.

In Fujian right now😯😯 pic.twitter.com/hHxfPTDQEo

— Yin Sura 尹苏拉 (@yin_sura) August 2, 2022

Chinese military exercises near Taiwan have encroached on the island's territory and amount to a blockade of its sea and air space, the defence ministry has said.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen the island would "not back down" as a furious China geared up for military drills in retaliation for the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Taiwan's cabinet said the military has increased its alertness level and authorities will make plans to ensure safety and stability around the island nation.

Meanwhile, Taiwan said more than 20 Chinese military aircraft had flown into the island's air defence identification zone -- an area wider than its territorial airspace that overlaps with part of China's air defence zone.

Pelosi addressed Taiwan's Parliament on Wednesday and called for increased inter-parliamentary cooperation.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi late Tuesday arrived in Taiwan, the self-ruled island claimed by China, which quickly announced that it would conduct military maneuvers in retaliation for her presence.