White House [NSC] spokesman John Kirby told the media on Thursday that "China has chosen to overreact and use the speaker's visit as a pretext to increase provocative military activity in and around the Taiwan Strait."

Kirby called China's actions part of a "manufactured crisis" but also said that Beijing was attempting to alter the regional power balance. 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also said the same day that China had no reason to overreact after Pelosi's visit.

'Sapere aude'