The phrase “Don’t say we didn’t warn you” was issued before China’s last two war major wars and has now been invoked as it conducts military drills ahead of Nancy Pelosi’s proposed visit to Taiwan.
The phrase was used in official media in 1962 before China went to war with India and ahead of the 1979 China-Vietnam conflict, says Global Times.
Yang Mingjie, the head of the institute, reiterated that sending fighter jets to intercept Pelosi’s plane remained an option.
“The US should not underestimate the Chinese people’s determination to defend core interests on sovereignty, integrity and security at any time,” he said.
Hu Xijin, firebrand former editor-in-chief of the Global Times, wrote: “Our fighter jets should deploy all obstructive tactics.
“If those are still ineffective, I think it is okay too to shoot down Pelosi’s plane.”
Pelosi was originally scheduled to travel to Taipei in April but pulled out at the last minute after testing positive for coronavirus.
She is forecast to attend the trip – the first by a major US politician to Taiwan for 25 years – next month, the Financial Times reported.
The 82-year-old refused to confirm whether she would be making the controversial visit, telling reporters on Wednesday: “I don’t ever discuss my travel plans. It’s a matter of security.”
Pelosi speculated that the US military had fears that her plane would be shot down.