Beijing on Friday suspended climate talks with the U.S., as it announced a raft of measures in retaliation for U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
The move marks a setback to intensified dialogue on climate change between the world’s two biggest economies over the past year despite a rocky bilateral strategic relationship.
China and the U.S., for instance, agreed a deal to cut methane emission on the sidelines of the COP26 U.N. climate change talks late last year. It’s now unclear whether Beijing will continue to honor its side of the agreement.
Beijing’s decision was announced on state broadcaster CCTV alongside other security-focused measures, including a cancelation of dialogues between the U.S. and Chinese defense ministries, a move that could increase the risk of a dangerous escalation in the Taiwan Strait.
China also announced sanctions against Pelosi and her close family, accusing her of violating China’s sovereignty over Taiwan. It’s also carrying out missile tests and other military drills around Taiwan until Sunday, constituting what Taipei calls a de facto blockade.
