Despite warnings from China, indications from America’s president that a trip was “not a good idea,” Pelosi’s office not mentioning Taiwan in reporting on the speaker’s Asia trip schedule, and having no clearly stated agenda, a Chinese media outlet confirmed that Pelosi’s Pacific theater tour would indeed include a stop in Taiwan.
Reportedly, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will meet with Taiwanese officials on Tuesday evening and Wednesday.
“She’s definitely coming,” a person familiar with the situation told the Wall Street Journal. “The only variable is whether she spends the night in Taipei.”
Fox News noted that Pelosi would be the first House speaker to visit Taiwan since Newt Gingrich in 1997.
Along with breaking the story, the state-run Chinese government reiterated its strong opposition to the visit and included a dire warning:
“China will take resolute and strong measures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. As for what measures exactly we will take, let’s wait and see if she dares making the visit,” a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry noted in the publicized warning.
Hu Xijin, described by Fox as a “Chinese media personality, commented on possible ramifications of Pelosi’s visit:
“Let her go to Taiwan. But pray before departure: wish herself a safe journey and wish herself not be defined by history as a sinner who starts a spiral of escalation process expanding military frictions to a large-scale war in the Taiwan Strait.”
Hu Xijin, the former Global Times Chief Editor, previously noted that China would shoot down Pelosi’s plane if she attempted to bring a delegation to Taiwan.
In a show of brinkmanship, before Pelosi’s departure for Asia the Pentagon relocated the USS Ronald Reagan and her strike group from Singapore to the South China Sea. Most, however, believe Biden has compromised global perception of America’s resolve via a series of botched dealings in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Iran.
Pelosi reportedly plans to visit Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan.
Traveling with the speaker are Democratic Reps. Gregory Meeks of New York, Mark Takano of California, Suzan DelBene of Washington, Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, and Andy Kim of New Jersey.
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