China cancels talks with U.S. on military issues, climate change over Pelosi’s Taiwan visit

China on Friday halted its relations with the U.S. on a range of issues, including talks on climate change and military ties, in retaliation for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan this week.

The countermeasures highlight the increasing tensions between the U.S. and China since Pelosi (D-Calif.) decided to go through with her trip to Taiwan, an island republic that China claims as part of its territory. Even weeks before Pelosi’s trip was officially confirmed, Chinese officials began launching threats against the speaker and warnings to the U.S. that it was “playing with fire” if she visited the island.

China ramped up its retaliation with military action following Pelosi's visit to Taiwan on Tuesday and Wednesday. It has fired missiles over the island and on Thursday launched military exercises off Taiwan’s coast that Beijing said would run through Sunday.

Other countermeasures announced Friday by China include the cancellation of dialogue with the U.S. between regional commanders and on defense policy coordination, military maritime safety, returning illegal immigrants, criminal matters, transnational crime, illegal drugs and climate change. China also announced on Friday sanctions against the House speaker and her family over her visit to Taiwan, saying it constituted “a gross interference in China’s internal affairs.”

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it took these actions because Pelosi visited Taiwan “in disregard of China’s strong opposition and serious representations.”

“It gravely undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, seriously tramples on the one-China principle, and severely threatens peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the ministry said in a press release. “In response to Pelosi’s egregious provocation, China decides to adopt sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family members in accordance with relevant laws of the People’s Republic of China.”

Pelosi earlier this week had waved off Beijing’s lashing out over her visit to Taiwan, saying at a press conference on Wednesday that “whatever China was going to do they'll do in their own good time.” As she’s continued her tour throughout Asia this week, the speaker has also praised Taiwan for its democracy and said that China will not isolate Taiwan by preventing U.S. officials from visiting the island.

“They may try to keep Taiwan from visiting or participating in other places, but they will not isolate Taiwan by preventing us to travel there,” she said during a press conference in Tokyo on Friday.