BEIJING, August 15. /TASS/. Beijing may tighten its military blockade of Taiwan and economic sanctions on the island, China Global Television Network (CGTN) expert Han Peng said, commenting on a US congressional delegation’s visit to Taiwan.

"Beijing can easily tighten its military blockade and economic sanctions on Taipei because mainland China now has an economic and military advantage in the Taiwan Strait," the expert pointed out.

Han Peng did not rule out a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait area. "If the US provokes a conflict in the Chinese region of Taiwan, billions of people all around the world, including ordinary Americans, will face an even sharper increase in inflation rates and food prices, as well as a growing energy crisis," the expert noted. According to him, "only the Wall Street, arms dealers and US warmonger politicians" will be able to benefit from that. China strongly opposes any exchanges between the US and Taiwan, the expert stressed.

On Sunday, a US congressional delegation arrived in Taiwan for a two-day visit. US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taipei in early August earlier drew sharp criticism from Beijing, who suspended several Chinese-US cooperation mechanisms and imposed personal sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family.

Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the remaining Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after suffering a defeat in China’s civil war. Since then, Taiwan has preserved the flag and some other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed in mainland China before the Communists came to power. Beijing regards the island as one of its provinces and this position is supported by most countries, including Russia.