The countermeasures China took in response to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region are justified and appropriate, said a spokesperson with China's Ministry of National Defense on August 8.

Spokesperson Wu Qian made the remarks when responding to a media query regarding the countermeasures, including the cancellation of three exchange activities between the Chinese and U.S. militaries.

The current tensions across the Taiwan Strait result solely from the provocations from the U.S. side. Thus, the U.S. side must take full responsibility and face the grave consequences, said Wu.

He noted that the Chinese side had made clear its stern position regarding China-U.S. relations, the relations between the two militaries and the Taiwan question, and had repeatedly lodged solemn representations to the U.S. side regarding Pelosi's Taiwan visit. However, the U.S. side's actions betrayed their commitments.

The Chinese side's countermeasures are necessary warnings to the U.S. and Taiwan's provocations and justified actions of safeguarding national sovereignty and security, and are reasonable and appropriate, Wu said.

Despite its claims of crisis management, the U.S. side continues to create tensions and make excuses for its erroneous words and acts and provocative behaviors, and even resorts to scapegoating to shirk its own responsibility, said Wu. "We firmly oppose this."

Wu urged the U.S. side to earnestly respect the Chinese side's core interests and major concerns, do away with the illusion of "containing China with Taiwan," and refrain from going further down the wrong path.