The Democrat is currently in Singapore as she visits the Indo-Pacific region and will also visit Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. The White House has not officially confirmed that she will visit Taiwan, and an itinerary for her trip did not include the East Asian island nation on the list of countries she would visit. However, it has long been reported that he will meet with officials in Taiwan after being forced to cancel an April trip due to COVID-19. After the cancellation, neither her office nor the White House confirmed details of a rescheduled trip, but her comments in July that “it’s important for us to show support to Taiwan” fueled rumors that it could be in the cards. While there has been no official confirmation of the visit from the US or Taiwan, three of the country’s biggest newspapers – The United Daily News, Liberty Times and China Times – cited unnamed sources as saying Ms Pelosi would arrive in Taipei from Malaysia on Tuesday night. China warned that its military would “never sit idly by” if it visited the self-governing island claimed by Beijing. If he does visit, he would become the highest-ranking US elected official to visit in more than 25 years since Newt Gingrich in 1997.
Analysis: Joe Pike, News Correspondent
Few in Washington are surprised by the Speaker of the House’s trip to Taiwan. In her decades-long political career, Nancy Pelosi has been passionate about international human rights and has been critical of China over Tibet, Hong Kong and the Uyghur genocide. She first made a name for herself when as a young fan in 1991 during a congressional trip to Beijing, she snuck away from her governors and unfurled a peace banner with two colleagues in Tiananmen Square. The three politicians were chased away by military police, but their stunt made headlines around the world. But China’s aggressive response to Ms. Pelosi’s visit and threats of “consequences” demonstrate exactly why the Pentagon was skeptical about the wisdom of such a trip. The White House has made it clear that it is not their role to tell Speaker Pelosi where or where to travel, but President Biden’s team appears to be the one left to defuse tensions, insisting they “will not take the bait and they engage in swordplay. -rattling”. Now 82 and unlikely to lead House Democrats long after the November midterms, Nancy Pelosi is likely thinking about her legacy. And what better way to cap off a congressional career than to cause another international incident at China’s expense. The US will not be “bullied” by China Any visit would spark anger in Beijing, which views Taiwan as part of its own territory. “If Pelosi insists on visiting Taiwan, China will take decisive and strong measures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in Beijing, without elaborating. “Those who play with fire will perish by it. We would once again like to warn the US. that we are fully prepared for any eventuality and the PLA will never stand idly by.” White House national security spokesman John Kirby warned that any response from China could include missile launches near Taiwan, large-scale air or naval activity or further “false legal claims,” such as Beijing’s claim that the Taiwan Straits are not is an international waterway. “We will not take the bait or engage in saber-rattling. At the same time, we will not be intimidated,” he said. Pictured: Joe Biden speaks virtually with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in November 2021 (file photo) The Taipei visit will not change US foreign policy Xi Jinping warned Joe Biden not to get involved in Taiwan in a phone call last week. Beijing sees formal US contact with Taiwan as encouragement to make the island’s de facto independence permanent, something US leaders say they do not support. The Biden administration has sought to reassure Beijing that there is no reason for them to “come into conflict” and that any visit to Taiwan would not signal a change in US policy. Read more: Ill-timed Taiwan visit could lead US, China to a crisis quietly China warns it will ‘resolutely safeguard national sovereignty’ China warns US not to ‘play with fire’ Taiwan and China split in 1949 after the Communists won the civil war on the mainland. Both sides say they are one country, but disagree over which government is entitled to national leadership. In 1979, the US, under Jimmy Carter, switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, but maintained an informal relationship with the island.
