Over the past few days, the world nervously awaited China’s translation of what its “dire consequences” might be in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. On Friday, the Chinese foreign ministry announced that Beijing would “adopt sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family members in accordance with relevant laws of the People’s Republic of China”. But what was meant to be taken as a serious punitive measure was turned into a joke by many who were left curious about what the real-life implications of these sanctions would be. When asked what the family’s response was, Pelosi’s...