For weeks, tensions have been rising between the United States and China over reports they may visit the self-governing island, which China considers part of its territory.
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi confirmed Sunday that she was heading to Asia, without mentioning a possible stopover in Taiwan that could further sour China-US relations. “I am leading a congressional delegation to the Indo-Pacific region to reaffirm America’s unwavering commitment to its allies and friends in the region,” Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.
“In Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, we will hold high-level meetings to discuss how to advance our shared values and interests, including peace and security, economic growth and trade, the Covid-19 pandemic and the climate crisis, human rights and democratic governance,” she added.
Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that Ms Pelosi and her accompanying delegation will visit the city-state from August 1-2.
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provocation for Beijing
The President of the House of Representatives maintains uncertainty about a possible visit to Taiwan for security reasons. For weeks, tensions have been rising between the United States and China over reports they may visit the self-governing island, which China considers part of its territory.
Beijing would consider even the shortest passage by the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the island to be a provocation.
Washington maintains no diplomatic ties with Taipei and recognizes the communist regime in Beijing as China’s sole representative. But the United States is selling arms to the island and praising its “democratic” regime. Nancy Pelosi’s visit comes as military tensions rise in the region. The Taiwanese military conducted its largest annual military exercises this week, which included mock intercepts of Chinese attacks from the sea.
Also readChina announces military exercise ahead of Pelosi’s possible visit to Taiwan
Meanwhile, the US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its flotilla left Singapore bound for the South China Sea as part of a scheduled operation, the US Navy said. And on Saturday, China held a “live ammunition” military drill in the Taiwan Strait in response.
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