China has issued stark private warnings to the Biden administration about a possible trip to Taiwan in August by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Financial Times reported on Saturday.

The report cited six people familiar with the Chinese warnings as saying they were significantly stronger than the threats that Beijing has made in the past when it was unhappy with US actions or policy on Taiwan, which is claimed by China.

The private rhetoric suggested a possible military response, the Financial Times cited several people familiar with the situation as saying.

The White House National Security Council and the State Department declined to comment on the report. China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Sunday.

The Financial Times reported on Monday that Pelosi plans to visit Taiwan in August.

China’s foreign ministry said the next day a visit to Taiwan by her would seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the United States would bear the consequences of its response.

Source: Reuters