TAIPEI: U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi addressed Taiwan’s parliament on Wednesday and was due to meet with its president as well as human rights activists during a visit to the island that has infuriated Beijing, Reuters reported.

China condemned the highest-level U.S. visit to Taiwan in 25 years as a threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, responding with a flurry of military exercises, summoning the U.S. ambassador in Beijing, and announcing the suspension of several agricultural imports from Taiwan, the report said.

Pelosi arrived in Taipei late on Tuesday on an unannounced but closely watched trip, saying that it shows unwavering U.S. commitment to the self-ruled island that Beijing says is part of China.

“We commend Taiwan for being one of the freest societies in the world,” Pelosi told Taiwan’s parliament, according to Reuters.

She also said new U.S. legislation aimed at strengthening the American chip industry to compete with China “offers greater opportunity for US-Taiwan economic cooperation.”

China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has never renounced using force to bring it under its control. The United States warned China against using the visit as a pretext for military action against Taiwan.

(Inputs from Reuters)