China on Friday slapped sanctions on two American organisations that hosted Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen during her visit to the US and her meeting with the House Speaker, a day after President Xi Jinping said it is "wishful thinking" to expect Beijing to "compromise" on its stand on the self-ruled island.
Tsai's meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy - the third most senior official in the US - on Thursday took place against the backdrop of repeated warnings from Beijing to Washington that the meeting should not happen. It was the first time a Taiwan president had met a US Speaker on American soil.