US Wants to Demonstrate Its Impunity Through its Actions in Taiwan, Russian FM Lavrov Says

A major crisis between US and China erupted on Tuesday as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in the breakaway province of Taiwan, ignoring multiple warnings from Beijing.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov lambasted Washington for its actions regarding Taiwan, noting that the US wants to demonstrate "impunity", proving to the world it can get away with anything.

"I have no doubts that this reflects the very line [of the US] that we are talking about in relation to the Ukrainian situation — this is the desire to prove to everyone and all their impunity and to show their permissiveness", Lavrov told reporters..

The statement from Moscow comes after Pelosi traveled to the island to meet with its authorities, which angered China. Upon Pelosi's arrival in Taipei, Beijing launched a series of military exercises near Taiwan and restricted navigation in the South China Sea.

Beijing noted that the visit undermines bilateral relations and violates the One-China policy, which stipulates that Taiwan is not an independent nation, but a part of China.

Screenshot captures moment US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi officially met Taiwanese President Tsai Ing Wen on August 3, 2022.

© Screenshot/Guardian

The island is governed separately from the mainland since the end of the civil war in 1949, when it became the last stronghold of the Chinese Nationalist Party (the Kuomintang). Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign countries with Taipei and stresses that Chinese sovereignty over the island is indisputable.

While the US do not recognize Taiwan, Washington has been supporting Taipei with arms deliveries, and has promised to protect the island from "aggression" on several occasions.