Beijing, 02 August 2022 (Xinhua News)

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng urgently summoned the U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns late Tuesday night and lodged stern representations and strong protests over Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region.

Noting that Pelosi risks universal condemnation to deliberately provoke and play with fire, Xie said that this is a serious violation of the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques.

It has a severe impact on the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and seriously infringes on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Xie said, adding that it gravely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence."

"The move is extremely egregious in nature and the consequences are extremely serious. China will not sit idly by," Xie noted.

Xie said the U.S. government must be held accountable. For a while, the U.S. has said one thing and done another thing, constantly distorted and hollowed out the one-China principle.

It deleted the key expressions such as Taiwan is part of China from the U.S. State Department website, put Taiwan in its so-called "Indo-Pacific strategy", openly upgraded its ties with Taiwan and increased arms sales to the region and supported separatist activities for "Taiwan independence," according to Xie.

He said the U.S. government has indulged rather than restrained Pelosi's willful act, leading to the escalation of tensions across the Taiwan Strait and seriously undermined the China-U.S. relations.

Noting that the U.S. side shall pay the price for its own mistakes, Xie urged the U.S. to immediately address its wrongdoings, take practical measures to undo the adverse effects caused by Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.

The United States must not go further down the wrong path, escalating tensions and making the situation across the Taiwan Strait and China-U.S. relations irreparable, Xie said.

He added that the United States should stop playing the "Taiwan card", stop using Taiwan to contain China in any form, and stop interfering in China's internal affairs.

The United States must take concrete actions to observe the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, deliver on the "five noes" commitment made by the U.S. leadership (i.e. not seek a "new Cold War"; not seek to change China's system; the revitalization of its alliances is not against China; not support "Taiwan independence"; not look for conflict with China), and not go further down the wrong and dangerous path, Xie noted.

Xie stressed that the trend of the times cannot be reversed, the will of the people is not to be defied, and those who play with fire will perish by it.

"Taiwan is China's Taiwan, and Taiwan will eventually return to the embrace of the motherland. Chinese people are not afraid of ghosts, pressure and the evil," Xie said.

In the minds of the Chinese people, nothing is more sacred than to protect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and nothing is more important than safeguarding and realizing national reunification, Xie noted.

He added that no country, no force and no individual should ever underestimate the firm resolve, strong will and great capability of the Chinese government and people to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity and to achieve national reunification and rejuvenation.

The Biden administration strongly defended House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan on Tuesday amid China's ongoing fiery response, saying the trip is consistent with longstanding US policy and is "no reason" for Beijing to further escalate tensions.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Chinese response thus far has been "unfortunately right in line with what we had anticipated," noting Washington expects China to be preparing to "react over a longer-term horizon."

Some of the actions the US is preparing for China to take include additional large-scale military exercises, carrying out flights across the sensitive median line in the Taiwan Strait "and using economic coercion."

"There's no reason for China to take what is perfectly legitimate and consistent travel by the speaker of the House and turn it into some pretext for amping up the tensions, or creating some sort of crisis or conflict," Kirby told reporters at the White House.

"The United States will not seek and does not want a crisis. We are prepared to manage what Beijing chooses to do. At the same time, we will not engage in saber rattling. We will continue to support Taiwan, defend a free and open Indo-Pacific, and seek to maintain communication with Beijing," he added.

Asked if US President Joe Biden supports Pelosi's decision to visit the self-governing island, Kirby said "he respects the speaker's decision to travel to Taiwan."

Pelosi, the first US House of Representatives speaker to visit Taiwan in 25 years, will meet Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and also engage with Taiwanese lawmakers.

In 1997, Republican Newt Gingrich was the last House speaker to visit the self-ruled island, which has maintained its independence since 1949.

Soon after Pelosi landed in Taiwan, the Chinese military announced that it will hold military drills around the self-ruled island, home to over 24 million people. China views Taiwan as a "breakaway province" and has vowed to reunify it with the mainland, including by force if necessary.

The Taiwanese Defense Ministry said around 21 Chinese military aircraft entered its air defense identification zone – a buffer zone outside the country's airspace, where it has the right to ask incoming aircraft to identify themselves.

Chinese state media released videos showing the People's Liberation Army commencing joint military exercises “surrounding the island of Taiwan.” The drills featured J-20 stealth fighter jets and the test firing of conventional missiles that analysts said could fly over the island.

Quetta (Pakistan),12 April 2019 (Daily Dawn)

At least 20 people were killed and 48 injured in a blast believed to be targeting members of the Hazara community in Quetta's Hazarganji market on Friday morning.

The attack claimed the lives of nine Hazara and one Frontier Corps (FC) soldier who was deputed for the community's security, said Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdul Razzaq Cheema. The 10 others who lost their lives included shopkeepers, businessmen and citizens working or residing in the area.

Four FC soldiers were among the injured.

DIG Cheema, who was present at the site of the attack, said the blast targeted the Hazara ethnic community.

"The attack took place in a [green grocer's] shop. An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was planted in a gunny sack filled with potatoes. Whether it was timed or remote-controlled, our experts will tell. Right now they are investigating," DIG Cheema told reporters at the site of the attack.

"We are giving our attention to the wounded at this time," he said. The injured have been shifted to hospitals ─ where an emergency has been imposed ─ for treatment.

"We have arranged transportation back [home] for Hazaras who remained unhurt in the attack," he added.

However, Home Minister Ziaullah Langove, who held a press conference later in the day, said that the blast was not targeting "a specific community".

"Our guess is that no specific community was targeted. Marri Baloch and FC personnel were among those killed as well. The numbers of the Hazara community were just greater," Langove said.

He also described the blast as a suicide attack.

Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned "the terrorist attack" and sought "an immediate inquiry and increased security for the [targeted] people".

rovision of better protection.

"Once again our people were the target and once again we will have to bury our dear ones," he said.

"We demand more security from the government and all those involved in today's act of terrorism should be found and punished."

Balochistan govt decides to install CCTV cameras, boost security measures

Following the blast, a high-level meeting took place under Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal's stewardship to review and reinforce security measures.

It was decided in the meeting that the affected families will be given immediate financial assistance and that the provincial government will bear the treatment cost of those injured.

Furthermore, it was decided that closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be immediately installed at the Hazarganji market and other public places. Action on terrorists' hideouts and against their leaders will also be boosted, the caucus affirmed.