“Today the world faces a choice between democracy and autocracy,” she said in a brief speech during a meeting with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. “America’s resolve to preserve democracy, here in Taiwan and around the world, remains ironclad.” China, which claims Taiwan as its territory and opposes any involvement of Taiwanese officials with foreign governments, announced multiple military exercises around the island and issued a series of tough statements after the delegation arrived Tuesday night in Taiwan’s capital , Taipei. Taiwan denounced the planned actions. “Such an act is tantamount to sealing off Taiwan from the air and sea and seriously violates our country’s territorial sovereignty,” Capt. Jian-chang Yu said at the Ministry of National Defense’s media briefing on Wednesday morning. Pelosi, who is leading the trip with five other members of Congress, met earlier Wednesday with representatives from Taiwan’s legislature. The delegation then departed for South Korea, with Japan also a scheduled stop later in the week.
US-China tensions
Pelosi’s trip raised US-China tensions more than visits by other members of Congress because of her high-profile position as House leader. She is the first Speaker of the House to come to Taiwan in 25 years, since Newt Gingrich in 1997. Tsai, thanking Pelosi for her decades of support for Taiwan, presented the speaker with a political honor, the Order of Favorable Clouds. “Faced with deliberately increased military threats, Taiwan will not back down,” Tsai said. “We will steadfastly support our nation’s sovereignty and continue to hold the line of defense for democracy.” Pelosi leaves the Legislative Yuan, the home of Taiwan’s parliament, on Wednesday in Taipei, Taiwan. Pelosi arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday as part of a tour of Asia aimed at reassuring allies in the region. (Annabelle Chih/Getty Images) Tsai later told a press conference: “Military exercises are unnecessary responses.” Shortly after Pelosi landed, China announced live-fire drills that reportedly began Tuesday night, as well as a four-day exercise starting Thursday in waters on all sides of the island. China’s Air Force also flew a relatively large contingent of 21 warplanes, including fighter jets, to Taiwan.
Taiwan has bipartisan support, Pelosi says
Pelosi addressed Beijing’s threats, saying she hoped it was clear “while China has stood in the way of Taiwan going to some meetings, they understand that they will not stand in the way of people coming to Taiwan as a sign of friendship and support.” “ Pelosi noted that support for Taiwan is bipartisan in Congress and praised the island’s democracy. He stopped short of saying the US would defend Taiwan militarily, stressing that Congress is “committed to Taiwan’s security so that Taiwan can defend itself more effectively.” Together with former political prisoners our delegation visited the Nat’l Human Rights Museum: a tribute to the heroes who suffered & fought for Taiwan’s democracy. We then heard from civil society leaders on human rights. We came to listen & learn? we left inspired by their courage. pic.twitter.com/dsKa02n0Ka —@SpeakerPelosi Her focus has always been the same, she said, going back to her 1991 visit to Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, when she and other lawmakers unfurled a small pro-democracy banner, two years after a bloody military crackdown on protesters in the square. This visit was also about human rights and dangerous technology transfers to “rogue countries”.
Biden tried to play down the tone of the visit
“The lady president’s visit to Taiwan with the delegation, without fear, is the strongest defense of the defense of human rights and the consolidation of the values of democracy and freedom,” Tsai Chi-chang, vice president of Taiwan’s legislature, said in a welcome speech. . US President Joe Biden’s administration has tried to play down the scale of the visit, insisting there is no change to America’s long-standing “one China policy”, which recognizes Beijing but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taipei. Pelosi said her delegation has “stepped up,” including Gregory Meeks, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Raja Krishnamurthy of the House Intelligence Committee. WATCHES | Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan sparks fiery Chinese backlash:
US President Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan sparks fiery Chinese reaction
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has become the first high-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years. The trip prompted a fiery response from China, including live-fire military exercises around Taiwan. He also mentioned Rep. Suzan DelBene, who Pelosi said was instrumental in passing a $280 billion bill aimed at boosting U.S. manufacturing and research into semiconductor chips — an industry dominated by Taiwan that is vital to modern electronics. Also on the mission are representatives Andy Kim and Mark Takano.
