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On Saturday, July 30, former chief editor of the Global Times, Hu Xijin, tweeted a suggestion to the Chinese government to shoot down Nancy Pelosi's aircraft if she attempts to visit Taiwan.
The ex-chief editor of the state-owned daily tabloid newspaper ( which operates under the Chinese Communist Party's purview) further claimed that the U.S. Speaker of the House's visit to Taiwan would be an act of 'invasion.'
In the tweet, which he has since deleted, Hu wrote:
"If U.S. fighter jets escort Pelosi's plane into Taiwan, it is invasion…The PLA (People's Liberation Army) has the right to forcibly dispel Pelosi's plane and the U.S. fighter jets, including firing warning shots and making the tactical movement of obstruction."
He further wrote:
"If ineffective, then shoot them down."
The tweet violated the platform's policy, and Twitter later blocked his account. This caused Hu Xijin to delete his threat against Nancy Pelosi.
According to his profile's bio on the Global Times,
"Hu Xijin is the former editor-in-chief of the Global Times. Previously he worked as a reporter in the People's Daily and covered the Bosnian war in the 1990s."
Hu reportedly retired as the chief editor of Global Times last year in December. However, he is still associated with the publication as a special commentator. The journalist has worked in the Chinese news and media industry since 1989.
As per U.S.-China Perception Monitor, Hu Xijin graduated from the Nanjing Military International Relations University in 1982. The 62-year-old Beijing native reportedly also has a Master's degree in Russian Literature and Language from Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Prior to his work in the Global Times, Hu worked as a Bosnian war correspondent and later the deputy editor of another Chinese government-controlled publication, People's Daily. In 1995, he joined Global Times.
As Hu has been associated with multiple state-owned publications, many foreign outlets like the New York Post have labeled the Chinese national a 'propagandist.'
What was the cause behind such a threat by Hu Xijin against Nancy Pelosi?
According to recent reports, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi planned to visit multiple U.S. ally countries in Asia. Her list of Asian countries to visit reportedly also included Taiwan. Pelosi has not yet confirmed the possible plans for her Taiwan visit.
However, the reports have caused the Chinese government to issue severe warnings against her visit to Taiwan. According to the Associated Press, Chinese Ministry of Defense spokesman Tan Kefei further warned the United States on Tuesday. Tan's warnings stated:
"If the United States goes ahead with this, the Chinese military will never watch and do nothing…It will take strong measures to thwart any external interference and separatist plans for 'Taiwan independence' and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Meanwhile, several reports throughout multiple publications cited Chinese Government officials, who expressed their stern disapproval with patently clear threats against Nancy Pelosi and the U.S. government. This reportedly included Chinese President Xi Jinping, who warned U.S. President Joe Biden about the same via a phone call.
These constant threats over Nancy Pelosi's potential visit to Taiwan may have spawned a seemingly severe threat from Hu Xijin.
Why does China not want Nancy Pelosi to visit Taiwan?
The crux of the issue is that the Chinese government claims Taiwan to be their territory. However, Taiwan (officially known as the Republic of China) considers itself an independent nation despite many attempts of annexation and military enforcement by China over the years.
Furthermore, Nancy Pelosi has publicly criticized China throughout her tenure in the U.S. Congress. This might also be a factor as to why China does not want the 82-year-old Baltimore native to visit Taiwan.
If Pelosi (who is third in the line of succession for the position of U.S. President, behind Joe Biden and Kamala Harris) visits Taiwan, then she would be the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the country in 25 years.
Thus, China claims that Taiwan cannot independently establish foreign relationships with U.S. delegates. This recent rise in tension between the U.S. and China over Taiwan caused the Chinese military to announce exercises.
These reported military drills are underway off the coast opposite to Taiwan. Meanwhile, the U.S. has coincidentally positioned the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier in the South China Sea. Albeit, the U.S. Navy called the move pre-planned.
