US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, the United States, Feb 4, 2021.(Photo: Xinhua)

Not long after the media disclosed that US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would visit Taiwan on Sunday, she reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. Her office announced that her planned trip to Asia was postponed, meaning the reported planned visit to Taiwan was also shelved. 

As Pelosi's positive COVID-19 result came too "coincidental," there has been speculation that it is a "tactical" one. But this is not the point. The point is that the trip should not just be postponed, but canceled. As China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned, if the US acts arbitrarily, China will make firm responses, and the US should bear all the consequences. 

As the No.3 US politician, Pelosi is supposed to deeply understand the sensitivity and importance of the Taiwan question in China-US relations. She is also supposed to understand what her trip to Taiwan means. This is the most core issue of the political foundation of China-US relations. Once Pelosi makes this trip, it is bound to deal a heavy blow to bilateral relations and undermine peace across the Taiwan Straits. So far, Pelosi has not publicly admitted her trip to Taiwan, but released the news through media in a secretive manner, which is enough to prove that Washington completely understands the sensitivity of the matter.

It has been less than a month since US President Joe Biden promised that the US would not seek a new Cold War with China and would not aim to change China's system; the revitalization of its alliances is not targeted at China; the US does not support "Taiwan independence," and has no intention to seek a conflict with China. But Washington first approved arms sales to Taiwan, and then here came the breaking news that Pelosi was going to visit Taiwan. The deceptive, double-faced US China policy was fully exposed. Its salami slicing tactic on the Taiwan question is also accelerating. It must be pointed out that the biggest problem in China-US relations now is the US credibility issue, and the Taiwan question has become the biggest powder keg in bilateral ties.

Washington's politicians who regard China as the "biggest strategic competitor" of the US obviously think it's easy to play the Taiwan card. They believe with the cooperation of the DPP authority, playing the Taiwan card not only "effectively" disturbs the mainland but also can enable the US to make money out of forced deals with the DPP authority. When the domestic election prospect is dim, they can also cheat votes by showing toughness on China over the Taiwan question. Driven by those short-sighted and narrow-minded motives, Washington is trying to hollow out the one-China policy, which accumulates huge risks in the Taiwan Straits and China-US relations.

Washington claims to pursue "effective and healthy competition," or in other words "competition without disaster." Being cautious in words and deeds on the Taiwan question is just one of the keys to preventing competition from turning into disaster. The politicians in Washington who attempt to implement the so-called strategy of containing China with the Taiwan question need to clearly recognize that if US and the Taiwan island collude and dare to touch the three red lines drawn by China's Anti-Secession Law, the mainland's response will be gigantic and powerful. At that time, the US and the island will definitely have to swallow the bitterness of playing with fire. It's not difficult to understand such a warning. How can Washington's speculative mentality of getting petty advantages through stirring up the Asia-Pacific be compared to the strong determination and will of the Chinese mainland to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity? 

US lawmakers paid three visits to the Taiwan island last year. The PLA's deterrence operations as a response had gradually elevated and moved closer to the level of combat. The rope around the necks of Taiwan secessionists has become increasingly tight. But Pelosi and her like even want to put one foot on the pedal of the gallows. Washington has been deeply trapped in political polarization. Many of its decisions are being kidnapped by radical public opinion and lost rationality. But the Chinese mainland will never compromise its red lines because of Washington's "insanity." The US and Taiwan authorities should read word for word and understand the clear signal sent by the Chinese mainland and should not miss even a single punctuation mark. 

Pelosi is 82 years old. We wish her to recover as soon as possible. Compared with COVID-19, what she should be cured for more is her anti-China bigotry. Time will prove that those who go against China hysterically and recklessly cross the red lines are by no means heroes, but historical sinners, and will be punished ruthlessly.