China has repeatedly warned the United States as Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi considers a trip to Taiwan.

“If the U.S. side insists on this visit, China will take firm and strong measures to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Beijing Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Monday.

The warning came after a sharp response by Beijing to reports in the Financial Times concerning the possible trip.

Concerns are growing about Taiwan, a self-ruling democracy that has had an independent government since 1949 that Beijing views as a breakaway province that will eventually be reunited with the mainland.

Speaker Pelosi has not confirmed her plans, while U.S. President Joe Biden responded with caution when asked about her travel plans.

Several parliamentary delegations from the U.S. and the EU have visited Taiwan recently, provoking China’s ire.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has hit home for many in Taiwan, escalating fears that China could mimic Moscow’s actions by annexing Taiwan by force.

(dpa/NAN)