“Now more than ever, America’s solidarity with Taiwan is vital, and that is the message we bring here today,” Pelosi said. Pelosi’s speech came shortly after Tsai praised the speaker’s long-standing commitment to democracy and human rights and awarded her Taiwan’s highest political honor, the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon. “I look forward to displaying this award in the Office of the President or wearing it there on Capitol Hill as a symbol of our precious friendship,” Pelosi said. Pelosi’s visit is the first time in 25 years that a US House speaker has visited Taiwan, a self-governing island that China claims as part of its territory. Pelosi traveled to Taiwan amid warnings from both the Biden administration and China, which reacted strongly after the speaker’s congressional delegation visited Taipei on Tuesday. China’s military — the People’s Liberation Army, or PLA — said it was conducting military exercises from Thursday to Sunday in response to Pelosi’s visit, including joint air and sea exercises and live-fire drills. Earlier on Wednesday, Pelosi praised Taiwan as “one of the freest societies in the world” in her first public remarks since becoming the highest-ranking US official to visit the island in 25 years. Pelosi and the US congressional delegation she leads also met with members of Taiwan’s parliament, exchanging greetings with Taiwan’s Vice President Tsai Chi-chiang before a closed-door meeting. “So now we look forward to our discussion on how we can work together, learn from you and share some thoughts on how to protect the planet from the climate crisis, how to step up and learn from you, how you are dealing with the Covid crisis . how we promote respect for all people in our countries as we move forward,” Pelosi said. “Again, we come in friendship, thank you for your leadership, we want the world to recognize that.” Tsai thanked Pelosi for coming to Taiwan and providing “unwavering support,” saying the US congressional delegation’s visit represented “the strongest defense and consolidation of the value of democracy and freedom.” On Tuesday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said 21 Chinese warplanes had invaded Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The raids were carried out by 10 J-16 fighter jets, eight J-11 fighter jets, one Y-9 electronic warfare aircraft, one Y-8 electronic intelligence aircraft and one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft, the Taiwanese Defense The ministry said in a statement on Tuesday evening. Taiwan’s military issued radio warnings and deployed missile air defense systems to monitor the activities, he added. China frequently sends warplanes into Taiwan’s self-proclaimed ADIZ. The most incursions ever recorded was on October 4 last year, when 56 military aircraft flew into the area on the same day. Air Defense Identification Zones are isolation areas established to provide advance warning of incoming aircraft. They differ from and exceed sovereign airspace, which is defined under international law as extending 12 nautical miles from a territory’s coastline. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng summoned US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns late Tuesday afternoon local time to protest the visit, Chinese state media CCTV reported on Wednesday. But White House officials said Pelosi’s trip was in line with US policy toward Taiwan, while warning Beijing against escalating in response. Taiwan’s foreign ministry welcomed the speaker’s visit, saying it “fully demonstrates the high importance the US Congress attaches to Taiwan.” Pelosi, long a China hawk, explained in an op-ed published shortly after she landed on Tuesday why she chose to be the first speaker to travel to Taiwan in 25 years, writing that the US should stand by a democracy now threatened by the Chinese Communist party. “We cannot remain indifferent as the (CCP) continues to threaten Taiwan — and democracy itself,” he wrote.
