China has suspended natural sand exports, while also blocking imports of citrus fruits, chilled white scallops, frozen mackerel, confectionery, biscuits and bread. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi defied repeated warnings from Beijing and met President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday in Taipei.

Beijing has repeatedly threatened forceful measures if Pelosi, the most senior US politician to visit Taiwan since 1997, went ahead with the plan. Opinion in the US is divided over the visit, with some warning it raises the risk of igniting a conflict between China and the US. Jet that took Nancy Pelosi to Malaysia skirts South China Sea after leaving ...

Semiconductor stocks fell globally on Tuesday as an expected visit by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan fueled a fresh escalation in tensions between Washington and Beijing.

China has repeatedly said the US House Speaker should not visit the island, with one observer suggesting ‘even stronger warnings’ have been given in private. Pelosi has not confirmed whether she will visit Taiwan, but if she does she will be the highest ranked US official to do so since 1997.