The White House blasted China on Friday for paring back its engagement with the U.S. on a range of issues including climate change and drug enforcement in protest over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby called Beijing’s so-called “countermeasures,” which also included suspending cooperation on transnational crimes and repatriation of illegal immigrants, “irresponsible.”
“China is not just punishing the United States with these actions, but they’re actually punishing the whole world,” Mr. Kirby told reporters. “The world’s largest [pollution] emitter is now refusing to engage on critical steps necessary to stand up to combat the climate crisis.