Journalists defend reaction to Pelosi visit

China has every right to respond to the recent visit to China's Taiwan region by the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, because it violated the one-China principle, journalists from many countries say.

"All of the actions taken by China in response to Pelosi's visit are acceptable, including the suspension of counternarcotics cooperation," Muhammad Zamir Assadi, a journalist with Independent News Pakistan, said.

His remarks came after the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Rahul Gupta, called the suspension unacceptable.

Dismissing Gupta's comment, Assadi said Pelosi's visit to Taiwan was a clear and blatant violation of the one-China principle and that it is a diplomatic blunder by the US administration that is damaging the political basis of the relationship between China and the US.

"The US must not cross the red lines by disrespecting the one-China principle and should not hurt the Chinese territorial integrity as China has every right to take strong measures to defend its borders and security," he said.

China repeatedly warned Pelosi that her visit would interfere in China's internal affairs, violate the one-China principle and cause a crisis in China's relationship with the US.

However, she insisted on going there, and the People's Liberation Army conducted live-fire military exercises all around the island. China also undertook other countermeasures.

Pelosi's visit was a damaging move that is fueling tensions in this peaceful region, Assadi said.

The US is intentionally giving wrong signals to separatists in Taiwan and wants to ignite clashes in the region, he said.

His remarks were echoed by other journalists.

"The visit of Pelosi to Taiwan is a clear violation of Chinese sovereignty and an imperialist incitement," said Necati Demircan, a journalist with the Turkish media outlet Aydinlik.

The US seeks to create chaos through Taiwan, which is obviously part of China, Demircan said. Putting aside international law and its previous commitments to China about the Taiwan question, the US has once again "shown the whole world that it is an unreliable country," he said.

"China always favors the peaceful resolution of problems regarding Taiwan. … The military exercises aim to protect China's sovereignty."

Hujjatullah Zia, a political analyst and senior writer with Daily Outlook Afghanistan, said Pelosi's trip to Taiwan was an open violation of the one-China principle.

"In such a sensitive time, the world in general and the US in particular have to contribute to regional and global peace in any possible way."

It is hypocritical for Pelosi to use democracy as a pretext for her visit, Assadi said, adding that the record shows that US invasions over the past 20 years have killed thousands of people and done huge damage in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.