Nancy Pelosi confirmed on Sunday July 31 that she was en route to Asia as planned. But the President of the US House of Representatives has not yet specified whether or not she will stop in Taiwan, a possible visit 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 our allies and friends in the region,” the Democrat 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 Nancy Pelosi and her accompanying delegation will visit the city-state from August 1-2.
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A possible visit is seen by Beijing as a provocation
The President of the House of Representatives maintains vagueness about a possible visit to Taiwan for security reasons.
Tensions between the United States and China have been escalating for weeks over reports that China 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 Pelosis’ visit comes amid rising military tensions in the region. The Taiwanese military conducted its largest annual military exercises this week, which included mock interceptions of Chinese attacks from the sea. Meanwhile, the US aircraft carrier USS Ronald-Reagan and its flotilla left Singapore to head for the South China Sea as part of a one planned operation, said the US Navy.
And on Saturday, China held a “live ammunition” military drill in the Taiwan Strait in response.
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