Tensions spiral as Beijing also sanctions Speaker and Biden demands talks with ambassador after ballistic missile test

An enraged China has halted dialogue with the US on climate change, military issues and anti-drug work in retaliation for Nancy Pelosi's 'provocative' Taiwan visit as diplomatic tensions reached boiling point.

Earlier, Beijing decided to sanction House of Representatives Speaker Pelosi and her immediate family in response to her 'vicious' actions and after their military fired 11 ballistic missiles into the Taiwan Strait - with five landing in Japan's exclusion zone - and surrounded the island.

'Despite China's serious concerns and firm opposition, Pelosi insisted on visiting Taiwan, seriously interfering in China's internal affairs, undermining China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, trampling on the one-China policy, and threatening the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait,' a foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

It comes as it emerged that the White House summoned Chinese ambassador Qin Gang on Thursday to condemn escalating actions against Taiwan and reiterate that the United States does not want a crisis in the region.