Russia has responded to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, with its Foreign Ministry calling the move “a clear provocation” and that China “has the right to take the measures necessary to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the Taiwanese question.”

Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova released a statement, reading:

“We consider her visit as a clear provocation in the spirit of the aggressive U.S. line to comprehensively deter China. We believe that relations between the sides of the Taiwan Strait are a purely internal affair of China. The Chinese side has the right to take the measures necessary to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the Taiwanese question.”

“Russia’s principled position remains unchanged: we assume that there is only one China, the Chinese government is the only legitimate government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an integral part of China,” Zakharova said.

She also said that Russia has “reaffirmed its commitment to the principle of “one China” and opposed the independence of the island in any form,” adding “We call on Washington to refrain from actions that undermine regional stability and international security and recognize a new geopolitical reality in which there is no place for American hegemony.”

Likewise, this stance was echoed by Russian Press Sceretary Dmitry Peskov, who stated that “Russia has absolute solidarity with China” and that “We can now state unequivocally, whether she makes it there or not, everything about this tour and the possible visit to Taiwan has provocative character.”

“Instead of dealing with this sensitivity with respect, the U.S. has regrettably chosen the path of confrontation,” he added. “It will bring no good, we can only express regret.”