A hard-hitting editorial in the Global Times (January 10), in response to the U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo’s announcement on January 9, 2021, entitled “Pompeo may have started the count-down of Taiwan’s final days,” stated that “Pompeo once again is frantically digging holes and placing mines for Sino-US relations and the Taiwan issue. This is a criminal, structural sabotage to cross-strait peace and the bottom-line stability of Sino-US relations. The extent of its severe consequences is unpredictable.” The editorial asserted that “Beijing needs to send a strong signal that the United States must stop before it is too late. It must let the United States and Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party authorities know that if they dare to let Pompeo visit Taiwan before the end of his term, Beijing’s response will be overwhelming.” It warned: “The last few days of the current U.S. administration may also be the last few days of the existence of the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party.”